For 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, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ – Matthew 25:35-36
With a heavy clink, the lock to the solid metal door disengaged. This was the third door along the series of convoluted passageways and stairs. At the end of the walk was an open room, where thirty men dressed in ubiquitous blue shorts and white t-shirts with number emblazoned across the front waited. Thirty pairs of eyes were transfixed as the sermon was shared. Many came forward at the call to respond. That was my first experience preaching in prison.
Going into prison to minister to inmates, visiting the sick, or blessing a stranger may be very foreign to most of us living in Singapore’s reserved and private culture. Yet, these are the very things we as Methodists are called to do. Wesley noted that these acts are a natural result of experiencing grace that sanctifies us. He wrote:
…feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, entertaining the stranger, visiting those that are in prison, or sick, or variously afflicted… This is the repentance, and these the fruits meet for repentance which are necessary to full sanctification. This is the way wherein God hath appointed his children to wait for complete salvation.76
When we repent and turn from our old way of life, caring for others is a fruit that is necessary for full repentance.
“因为我饿了，你们给我吃；渴了，你们给我喝；我在异乡时，你们收留了我；我衣不蔽体，你们给我穿；我患了病，你们照顾我；我在监狱里，你们探望我。” 《马太福音》25：35-36中文标准译本
随着沉重的叮当声，固体金属门的锁脱落。这是走过一系列错综复杂的通道和楼梯后的第三扇门。走到尽头是一间开放式的房间，里面有三十个人在等待，他们穿着一式的蓝色短裤和白色T恤，前面印着不同的号码。布道分享吸引着三十双聚精会神的眼睛。许多人走上前来回应呼召。那是我第一次在监狱里讲道的经历。
进入监狱服侍囚犯、探望病人、或祝福陌生人可能对我们大多数生活在保守和私人文化的新加坡人非常陌生。然而，这些就是卫理公会要求我们做的事情。约翰.卫斯理指出，这些工作是让我们经历恩典和成圣的自然结果。他写道： 喂饱饥饿者、给赤裸者有衣穿、招待陌生人、探望那些身在监狱，或生病、或各种痛苦中的人...这是悔改，是结出悔改的果实以及迈向完全成圣所必需的。这是上帝安排给他的孩子等待完全得救的方式。
当我们悔改并转离旧的生活方式时，关顾他人是完全悔改所必需结出的一种果实。
反思
上帝如何呼召你关顾并服事他人？你会采取什么实际步骤来回应上帝的呼召？
Reflection
How is God calling you to care for and minister to others? What practical steps will you take in responding to God’s call?