When I was Thirsty, You Gave Me Something to Drink...

"Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink." (Matthew 25:34-35)

Passages such as these often seem serene and simple.  The easiest of Jesus’ teachings to follow.  Yes, we believe everyone should have clean water.  In worship, we sing the Canticle of the Turning and boldly sing “The hungry poor shall grieve no more for the food they can never earn…”  It is Gospel.  It is the way, the truth and the light.  But in a world as broken as ours, we are pushed to understand, to see, what these passages are asking us—how we are called together to serve ALL who thirst.

Border Angels, a nonprofit ministry, places water along common routes in the deserts and mountains so migrants who are attempting to cross from Mexico into the US will not die of thirst.  Over 10,000 souls, about two people every day, die as they attempt to cross through the mountains or desert into the US.  Border Angels believes Jesus' call to give all who thirst something to drink commands them to enter into these remote places and save lives.

In an issue as controversial as immigration, few principles bring people from across the borders together—but giving drink to those who thirst is one.  Upon speaking to a border patrol agent, patrolling the deeply contested fence along the Tijuana/San Diego border, this child of God spoke to us, saying “We all want people to have water.  We don’t want people crossing illegally, we don’t want people breaking US law, but we certainly don’t want to find people dead in the desert.  All people deserve water when they thirst.”

Jesus commanded that water be given to all who thirst.  If we are to truly live out the call to do unto the least of these, then we are to do unto the undocumented worker.  We are to do unto those who make us uncomfortable.  We are to do unto those who are breaking the law.  We are to love the neighbor we never knew, or, if we are honest, may have never wanted to know.  We are to fill the cup of all who thirst.

In this post, I am not advocating changes in Immigration policy.  I am not saying we should build more fences or tear them down.  Instead, we look for places where the deepest divides can be closed, where we can reach across borders and find the work of God among us.  Until we live in a world where none thirst, we call out—“Come, Lord Jesus.”