LAUNDRY AGAIN!

Time to get a song in your head?  Ready?  Beatles – Eleanor Rigby.  Got it?  Change of words…

All the dirty laundry, Where does it all come from?

I swear there is a laundry gremlin living somewhere in this house.  That gremlin must take clean clothes out of the drawers and closets and toss it into the laundry hamper while we are sleeping.  There is no way two people can have this many dirty clothes.  We are clean people.  We wear jeans more than once.  Shirts/blouses/sweatshirts more than one time.  Unlike teenagers, we do not throw clothes on the floor after each time they have touched our body.  When hubby is working in the fields, I understand the hamper will accumulate more than normal, but this is winter.  Bill is not outside getting all sweaty from working in the yard and garden.  And I have not had the cleaning urge, so my work clothes are not piling up either.

And, have you noticed laundry NEVER gets done.  You no sooner finish than someone decides to take a shower and, wham, there is LAUNDRY!!

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Then Jesus came to them (the disciples – that is you and me) and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-20

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’  Matthew 25:37-40

Go baptize.  Feed the hungry.  Give the thirsty something to drink.  Invite a stranger into your life.  Provide clothes for those that need them.  Take care of the sick.  Visit those in prison.

Have you ever thought how being a Christian is like doing the laundry?  IT NEVER ENDS!  There is always something to do.

I worked on the soup supper.  Fed the hungry.  Check.

What about clothes for the needy?  Clean the closet and donate to Goodwill.  Check.

Have you talked to a stranger lately?  I’m guessing the person behind me in the line at the grocery store does not count here.  Invite the new couple at church for a meal.  Invite a stranger.  Check.

Oh, yes.  I think that will be enough.  I know it is not all of them, but there are other people.  Let them do their share.  The minister can do the baptizing.  I know there are some doing jail ministry.  There are water fountains around town, so why should anyone be thirsty?

Yup, guess I can go rest.  I have checked off my share of the work.

All the hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, prisoners, needing baptized,

Where do they all come from?

You see, just like the laundry hamper never stays empty, the needs of God’s children never end.

Feed the hungry.  The first person, the next person, the next person….

Clothe the naked.  The first person, the next person, the next person….

Befriend the stranger.  The first person, the next person, the next person….

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  Make disciples of all.  The first person, the next person, the next person….

Seems to me the Lord just keeps filling the hamper.

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness!’  Matthew 25:21

I have the last load in and feel like I have done a pretty good job.  Then low and behold, someone throws something in the hamper.

Yup, just when us good Christians think we have done enough for the hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, prisoners and those needing baptized, the Lord smiles and tosses “many things” our way.

Will the laundry ever end?  No.  Will the work God has for us ever end?  NO.

Now go be a good and faithful servant.