Dear friends,
You did it to me…You did not do it to me. These are the words Jesus spoke to his disciples as he explained to them who they were ministering to when they fed the hungry, clothed the naked, accepted the stranger, and visited the sick and imprisoned. They did it (or failed to do it) to Jesus. Many Christians have a hard time with this passage. When Jesus says that people will be judged according to this, they don’t know what to do with it. They wonder if it supports a justification by works gospel that is foreign to their ears and inconsistent with the gospel they’ve always believed – justified by grace through faith – so they dismiss it. Meanwhile other Christians rally behind this passage as they confront those who are confused by it. They accusingly say, “You’re wrong. Jesus is going to judge you on whether you cared for those in need. You better start to help the poor.” And so the polarization of our community, the body of Christ, continues. And in this battle of ‘what does it take to be saved,’ I wonder if both sides miss much of what Jesus is saying. It becomes more about doctrine than about the person in need. But Jesus tells them that when they care for these, they do it to him. You did it to me.
I recently returned from a short internship with the Word Made Flesh community in Nepal. As I reflect on my time there, these words of Jesus take on new meaning. While there, I would visit some boys who live on the streets. They didn’t speak English, so I would bring my Nepali friend who would do most of the conversing. I would sit and enjoy being with them, buy them coca-cola and noodles, or bread and tea. Was this just done to some boys on the streets? Or is it true that the bread I gave was given to Jesus? Still, even as I walked to meet these boys I passed those sitting on the sidewalk missing limbs. I saw a man with leprosy reaching out what was left of his hand, hoping for charity. I walked past these people. Avoiding their eyes makes it easier. Did I keep my eyes from the gaze of Jesus? I am not trying to guilt myself or the reader into tossing a few coins at the poor. Instead I am attempting to point out what a tragedy it is when Jesus is sitting so near, reaching out to us, and we pass him by when we could draw near to him.
This is one of the beauties I see in Word Made Flesh. It is a group of people in community among the poor, seeking to be Jesus to those around them. They enter into the lives and the sufferings of the poor as Jesus did when he entered our world. And in this, they find that Jesus is already there, and they meet him in the man with leprosy and in the women in the brothels.
This is why I am eager to return to Nepal and join the Word Made Flesh community. I believe I have much to learn from my brothers and sisters who are following the ways of Jesus and have entered into the lives of the poor and suffering. I also have much to learn from the poor. And amidst all of this learning I believe that there is hope. There is hope for the suffering and the oppressed. There is hope for those who do not see it. There is hope for the boys with blank stares and dirty bags of glue in their hands. That hope is in Jesus Christ who offers new life, who says, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And it is my joy to share that hope.
Will you join me? Will you come with me as I join the work God is doing in Nepal? This is your invitation to continue to walk with me on this journey. I have joined Word Made Flesh as field staff and will soon begin a three year term in Nepal. As I go, I deeply value your presence with me. I desire your prayers and your encouragement. And it is my hope that you will learn along with me and be encouraged as I enter life in Nepal.
I am also in need of those who will join me through financial support. I am looking for those who will commit to give monthly to enable me to stay in Nepal. I am hoping to raise $1100 dollars a month. Also, it is my desire to leave by February, which will require about $6000 to cover the cost of the flight and provide for the first few months of living. If this is something that excites you or you sense that God is leading you to be a part of this work, will you consider supporting with your financial resources? As I said, I am hoping to have people who will give monthly, but ‘one-time gifts’ are also greatly appreciated. Enclosed is a response card if you would like to support me financially.
I invite you to read more about Word Made Flesh at www.wordmadeflesh.com. Also, along with my monthly updates, I will periodically be posting on my blog which you can find at www.andrewulasich.blogspot.com. While on that blog, you can also read about my recent internship in Nepal.
I am incredibly excited about this new part of my journey. I would love it if you joined me.