Strangers

One thing I notice about revered religious figures is that they seem willing to listen and talk to anyone.  In other words, they never met a stranger.  Jesus is one such person with whom I am most familiar.  When he encounters someone whom he has never met, does not know, isn’t of his tribe, he seems to listen and accept them as they are.  For instance, a soldier from the conquering Roman army comes up to Jesus and says his servant is quite ill and suffering dreadfully.  Jesus simply says, “OK. I will come and cure him.”  Jesus did not give the soldier silence, which could be a judgment or indifference.  How often are we silently indifferent or judgmental without saying a word to a stranger in our midst?  If Jesus has problems with anyone, I think it is the self-righteous religious authorities he encounters, such as are so concerned about rules and regulations and not so much about individual people and their needs.  See how you do the next time you encounter a stranger in your daily life?