Watch Therefore

Matthew 24:42 – “Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day your Lord is coming.”

Watch. Pay attention. Be aware. Notice what is going on around you. Don’t look just for the signs, but for appreciation of the world. Be present to those you are with. Sleep walking through life might sound appealing, but numbness kills the spirit.

For we don’t know when Christ will come to us in the likeness of another person – a person we can help or a person who can help us. Watch for opportunities to do good, even things we think are small. Sometimes those have more impact than doing big things. Our love is shown by our actions toward others – both in giving and receiving.

It’s easy not to act. Sometimes I am so overwhelmed, I’m not sure what is the next right thing. Sometimes I feel led to reach out and don’t follow through. Sometimes, it takes everything I have to go to protests and to stay even though I’m sick. It takes courage to reach out, especially in this atmosphere of hatred, meanness, and spite in the US. I look around at what is happening and I understand why Calvin thought human beings utterly depraved; that every part of our existence is compromised somehow.

It’s easy to see in how Jesus is being crucified in concentration camps, with more camps opening and the stays lengthening. In truth, America has never stopped crucifying the Christ who comes to us with Black skin. It seems every time progress is made, others conspire to take it away. This is what we’re seeing with Republicans and Donald; backlash for daring to give Black people the vote. Of course, we didn’t give it to them, we stopped taking it away for a short time. We’re back to taking it away again.

Sadly, none of this will be solved in my lifetime and maybe not yours, but that’s no excuse to throw up our hands and let others work.

Let’s watch for and love Christ as he presents himself in the form of our neighbors.

B