READ: DEUTERONOMY 15:7-11; PROVERBS 14:20-21; MATTHEW 25:31-46

Seni tossed the ragged orange ball and watched it sail through the hoop at the end of the gym, moving a bit more sluggishly than usual. The gravity controls must be on the fritz again, he thought. This court had been built generations ago, when the first settlers came to the newly terraformed planet. Mars was the only home Seni had ever known, but he was glad they played the same sports his ancestors played on Earth.

“Nice shot!” his friend Calvus called as he stepped into the gym. “Are you ready to go serve dinner at the homeless shelter?” Every third Tuesday, Calvus and Seni went to the shelter on the fringes of their settlement to help serve a meal.

“I decided not to go anymore,” Seni said as he threw the ball again, and missed.

“Really?” Calvus looked surprised. “What made you change your mind?”

“Well, Tarquin says it’s a waste of time because those people don’t deserve help. He says they wouldn’t be poor and homeless if they worked harder and made better decisions.”

“Huh,” muttered Calvus. Then he made a quick motion and stole the ball. “Let’s see who can shoot the most baskets in the next five minutes.”

“You’re on!” said Seni. They took turns shooting, and Seni quickly shot more baskets than Calvus.

“Wow, you’re way better than you were last year!” Calvus said, giving his friend a high five.

“Yeah, Coach has been spending lots of time helping me this year,” said Seni. “I didn’t know what I was doing wrong. Some of the guys even wanted me off the team, but Coach didn’t listen to them.”

“So,” said Calvus thoughtfully, “you’re saying that he didn’t let the other guys decide whether or not you deserved help?”

“No, otherwise I’d still be—oh.” Seni froze, realizing what his friend was getting at.

“You know,” said Calvus, “if help was only given to the people who deserve it, none of us would have received the gift of salvation from Jesus. We were hopeless sinners, but He decided to save us—only He was sinless, so He could die on the cross for our sins, and then be raised from the dead.” He tossed the ball to Seni.

“Well, that’s a good point…” Seni trailed off.

“Honestly, I’m so thankful He did that for us.” Calvus continued. “That’s actually why I help out at the homeless shelter. It’s not up to me to decide whether or not people deserve help. It’s not like I’m any better than they are. I don’t have to judge how they got there—I just have to love them and share the hope Jesus gave me with others who need it. And I’ve gotten to know some pretty cool people there!”

“I guess you’re right. We all need help sometimes,” Seni sighed. “Thanks for reminding me why we do this. Let’s go to the shelter.” Seni took a few steps, then paused, sniffed his shirt, and grimaced. “Can you wait till I change my clothes?”

Calvus smiled. “Good idea.” They both laughed as Seni jogged to the locker rooms. • A. W. Smith

• Are you ever tempted to think that everyone in a difficult life situation deserves to be there? Remember, not everyone has the same opportunities and support. And it’s not our job to judge people based on their life circumstances, no matter how they got there. If Jesus had decided to only help those who deserve it, none of us would have received His forgiveness and salvation. When we remember that truth, we can be moved to help others in need because Jesus showed us love and mercy when we didn’t deserve it, and because He also loves the people we’re serving. Consider spending some time in prayer, asking Jesus to help you see others through His eyes of compassion and mercy, and asking Him where He might be inviting you to serve others.

• This science fiction story is set in the distant future. Sometimes when we imagine the future, it’s easy to picture a utopia where poverty has been eradicated. Yet we are living in a sin-broken universe. Until Jesus comes back to renew all things, there will still be poverty, homelessness, sickness, and injustice—no matter how hard we try to fix it. While we may see glimpses of Jesus’s restoration as we seek to follow Him, only He has the power to make the universe fully new and whole. As we look forward to Jesus’s return, how does He call us to love our neighbors? (Hint: read Luke 10:25-37; 12:35-46; 15:11-32.)

“The King [Jesus] 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 25:40 (NIV)