Freedom for the Harassed and Helpless

We should be concerned about the condition of certain groups within our communities, many who are members of those groups are struggling and vulnerable. The level of concern of the people in that condition near us, as well as those in a similar condition around the world, gives notice of the essential work we must prepare for as fellow missioners spreading God's love.

That harried human condition should also remind us of the need to harvest these weary people who "were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd," as Jesus referred to them in Matthew's gospel, chapter nine. Jesus had compassion on them, saying God needs people who are willing to gather up God's human harvest, because it is plentiful, but the workers are few.

This is the high calling of God that we have heard, been taught about, and now are preparing to live out. In every generation, the people of God are met with a set of circumstances that involve the horrible condition of certain groups of people which cannot be avoided, and which forces the people of God to choose how to respond to those mistreated people. We have found ourselves in the middle of another set of those circumstances today.

We are faced with the sharp divisions among the people of this land, which have gotten sharper and more divisive since the pandemic and we have chosen to be God's people who offer a loving response even in the face of the divisions, hatred, and indifference to the impoverished people who have shown up at the border of this country seeking asylum for protection from the violence in their homeland, as well as economic opportunities like many of the past generations of the many who are natural born citizens of this country.

In addition to those struggling and vulnerable migrant people, we notice the increasing efforts of many government leaders and politicians to ban books and create laws that are meant to marginalize the LGBTQ+ community in the name of protecting children and to further push back the visibility and acceptance of members of our families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and church members who are from the LGBTQ+ community.

These actions and efforts to harshly treat and marginalize the migrant and LGBTQ+ communities have been the source of much hardship and suffering physically, emotionally, financially, and spiritually for those people. We are in the place that Jesus was when looking at people who are in similar circumstances today.

Learn more about what Jesus did as a response to the harassed and helpless people of his day, by reading Matthew 9:35-10:23. Please read the entire passage and find out what instructions and requirements Jesus laid out for those who are willing to help the people of God who need God's love and a shepherd to guide and protect them.