February 27, 2023
Justice is something we as humans all long and strive for. Since the end of World War II, the world has become increasingly concerned with the issue of international law and justice, especially with the establishment of the International Court of Justice. From the atrocities of wars, genocides, and massacres, to small, everyday injustices, we are all in one way or another affected, leaving us with a burning desire for it to be made right. However, what is our definition of right? Who are we to administer justice? We aspire to have justice served, yet our bureaucratic systems never fully achieve this.
In this passage, Jesus becomes the Judge; everyone is made equal in the sight of the Lord. All the nations are gathered together in front of His throne, and it is Jesus that does the separating. In explaining His decision, Jesus places himself as the “others” in our lives, meaning that how we treat others is how Jesus considers we have treated him. Jesus was hungry, but did you feed Him? Jesus was thirsty, but did you give Him something to drink? Jesus was in trouble, but did you stop and help Him? Our actions are not judged by a third party, rather by the people that we committed them against. Loving and serving others, whether or not they are strangers, is treated by Christ as if those deeds had been done to Him personally, and likewise with what we failed to do.
This passage has made me reflect on how I treat every person I encounter. Whether it is at the grocery store, on campus, at home, or on the highway, I have found myself questioning if I treated this person not only how Jesus would treat them, but how I would treat Jesus. Did I embody the teachings of Christ? Did I treat them according to their true identity, a beloved child of God? Did I act as a messenger for His kingdom on earth? I can admit that on many occasions I fail to do just this.
God calls us not only to simply love our neighbor, but to agapē them (Mark 12:31). Greek has several terms to describe different levels of love, with agapē being the highest form, describing an unconditional love. In other words, we are to love our neighbors simply because they are also God’s children despite disagreements, contrasting political views, or differences in economic status. This lent, I have challenged myself to remember that I am meeting Jesus in my daily interactions. Jesus is there in the student who needed help picking up their books, He is there in the person stranded on the side of the highway, and He is there in the person who needs help paying for groceries. Now I am challenging you to do the same, to be a beacon of Christ’s light on earth. My prayer is that they meet Jesus in us and let the justice of God prevail in my life and yours.
- Andreas Gateman
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