Does anybody read these?

WWJD?

After I pissed off crazy Republican lady last week (and, yes, I know not all Republicans are crazy), I said I wasn't going to talk about politics anymore because it just pisses everyone off, including me.

But, really, what I need to talk about isn't political. At least it shouldn't be. In my mind, it's a text-book case of "What would Jesus do?"

We, as a nation, just need to figure out how to do it. And, I don't see how that's going to happen because each side thinks the other is wrong and one side hates the other like poison and won't compromise.

I don't think helping others should have "sides."

In the Bible, Jesus says, "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me."

The righteous will answer him and say, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?"

And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25: 35-41)

Jesus doesn't say: Give to those who work; give to those who have health insurance; give to those who are Republican or Democrat. He says "Whatever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me."

It is our moral obligation to help the poor. It is our moral obligation to ensure that those who are sick get affordable and adequate medical care. It is our moral obligation to give as much as we can to help those who cannot help themselves. It is our moral obligation to speak up against injustice.

Which, is why I am writing this today. It isn't about being Republican or Democrat. It's not about where you worship on Sunday morning. And, say what you want about our works not getting us to Heaven, but then I will remind you that Jesus said: Whatever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me.

All of these Christians who want the Ten Commandments in the school seem to be losing sight of the two greatest commandments of the Lord. One, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind; and two, Love your neighbor as yourself.

I don't think if you're griping about paying more taxes so your neighbor with cancer can have health insurance that you're really following the Lord's commandments. Maybe the reason these folks fight so hard to get the Ten Commandments in schools is because they need to see them in order to do them.

But, that's not my place. We're not to judge others. They will have their day the same as I. But we all need to do our best job as Christians. Some of these people want the United States to be a "Christian nation," but they obviously don't know what that would mean.

Let me tell you a little story that illustrates my point.

Today, I went grocery shopping on my lunch break. I bought a dozen eggs, some brown sugar, 2 tubs of yogurt and three Lean Cuisines. And, yes, the content of my cart will matter in a minute.

As I was leaving the store, I see a man in a wheelchair leaning his head into a car in one of the two left-turn lanes. I get into the other lane, because I need to get back to work. Yes, probably not WWJD, but I had no cash, so I couldn't help this man anyhow.

As the light turns green, the man begins to roll out in front of my car, and I have to slam on my brakes to keep from hitting him. He was obviously homeless, and I am guessing the fact that he had one leg probably limited his ability to find steady work even when the economy was booming. So, I stop and wait for him, and the light changes while I do.

I am sitting for the red light, and I hear a tapping on my window. I just shrug my shoulders because I have no cash, but the tapping persists. So, I roll down my window.

"I'm really hungry, ma'am. Did you buy anything at Kroger that you could share with me?"

I looked in my bags, even though I already knew the answer. "I'm so sorry," I replied.

He moved on to the next car. The light changed, and I drove off.

In the few-mile drive back to my office I began to cry. I weeped for this man who had entered my life for only a brief minute. I weeped for our country and the state of affairs that would reduce a disabled man to begging for food in a busy intersection. And, I weeped for our Lord, who must be heartbroken that we can't do better for our people.

Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me.

I don't have the answers. I wish I did. All I know is that we have to create a social system that works to protect and aid the least of our brothers. No human being should be put in that situation that man was put into.

I wish we could pick and choose. I wish I could tell the government that instead of funding unjust wars and state-sponsored murders that I would like to put my taxes toward housing subsidies, food banks and other social welfare program.

But mostly I wish that every Christian would listen to their hearts and the Lord and demand that we help the least of our brothers. And frankly, until they do, they should stop demanding that we have a "Christian nation," because there is nothing Christian about how this country treats its people.

posted by Laura at 1:01 PM