Jesus came to give us eternal life and life more abundantly. John 6:40, John 10:10. As our role model, Jesus came to serve, not to be served. Matthew 20:28.

Paul mentioned in Galations 2:1-10 that at the Jerusalem conference, the church leaders guided by the Holy Spirit concluded that Gentiles did not need to become Jews but did need to remember the poor. The apostle Paul reminded the Ephesian elders that Jesus said “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” You are more contented. Acts 20:35.

In Luke 10:27 Jesus said “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all you mind and, love your neighbor as yourself.”

But as a whole, we in the USA have shifted our responsibilities to our neighbor as individuals and the church to the government. Our current model of government entitlement is not working. While a large number of local patients (up to 30 percent) miss medical appointments due to lack of transportation, others may receive a $250 government paid trip to Pueblo for their entitled pain killers. Government entitlement to be pain free has produced 30 million opioid addicts. Our body pain receptors are God given for our protection. Government entitlement to free food has produced millions of junk food addicts that have problems with obesity and diabetes.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 says “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”

In the judgment scene starting in Matthew 25:31, we as individuals, not large classes of people, are blessed or condemned based on our treatment of Jesus disguised as our needy neighbors in this life.

As individuals and believers in this community, let’s keep increasing our love for our neighbors by serving one another. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 NIV

                                                                                    Erwin Young

                                                                                    Alamosa Church of Christ