feed me!

In my desire to meet a challenge thrown out before my small group last week, I have been very aware of my actions because we are looking for ways to 'be Jesus' to someone. Not that we shouldn't have been doing that all along, but just knowing someone is going to ask you what you've done this week makes all the difference.
Beginning this challenge, however, I'll tell you, I wanted to be the one who went out and 'saved' everyone they laid eyes on. I wanted to get back with my group and, ever so humbly, say "I searched high and low for lost souls. I shared with them the gospel, they repented, and I baptised all 700 of them in the Ohio River. Twice." Just to be sure. But as the week went on, I got a little frustrated because God was not giving me the opportunity to dunk people! It was somewhere between frustration and recognizing my pride that I began to ask God what 'being Jesus' really looked like.
I stressed over this for quite some time, and it wasn't until I was making dinner for myself and the hubby tonight that things started to click. I looked through the pantry to see what we would have, and I felt a twinge of what I can only describe as "shucksness" when I realised we are low on the protein and won't be getting the Angel Food we ordered until next weekend. I saw the large amounts of beans I had stocked up on for 'such a time as this' (that's a good Flynn Adam song) and figured I could make a poor man's chili out of the random goods I had in the house. I poured the beans in the water and something in that (I know, go figure) got me to thinking. Jesus loved people and met their needs. I took a picture of the beans, as you can see, because that moment was just too cool. I spent the rest of the evening thinking about the beans, which wasn't as great a waste of time as you might think!
I found Matthew 25 (thanks to http://www.biblegateway.com/):

34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

I visited a friend in jail a few years back. Seriously, that's what popped into my head when I read this, because the flesh of me wanted to justify lacking on the simple task of meeting the needs of those around us and going out of our way to show love to them. But you can't justify not feeding the hungry, or clothing the naked, or loving the broken.
I enjoyed matching this with the beans because Jesus didn't say 'give t-bone steaks to everyone to show them how much money you have.' (that is a cliche I know, t-bone steaks, but to be honest, I don't know if they are truly something expensive...) I served my husband beans this evening, mixed with leftovers, noodles, and a lot of 'special' ingredients, and it was a good meal that I would have loved to have shared with someone in fellowship. But I think the even cooler part of those verses is when Jesus says the righteous will say 'Whoa! You are giving me credit for doing things, but Jesus when did I do all that?' How amazing would it be to have such a fullness and overflow that you are just pouring out love and not keeping a tally??? The challenge is good, but it's just the beginning. We all have our tendencies, and we will always have our flesh saying to fight our Father, but what if in the day-to-day we just loved without a track record? Is that what the writer's meant when they said it was impossible to write down everything Jesus did, because there would not be enough books in all the world to hold it all? The only keeping love from running rampid in me is...me.
So, in summary, take pictures of your beans, but then share them. Then, instead of giving yourself enough time to get big headed on your sharing skills, die to yourself yet again, and go love some more. That way, we are not left years later thinking 'I'm covered because of that one time I shared those beans.....' =) Amen.