Wendel Abel

EVERYONE IN this quiet village was busily cleaning and cooking. They were expecting Jesus to visit the village that day. The most prominent lady in the village was a very committed Christian. Everyone assumed that Jesus would stop at her house.

This lady woke up early that day and she started her preparations. She was taken up with the cleaning, cooking and washing. Jesus was expected to visit the village that day!

With great expectation and bated breath she laboured that day.

There was a knock on the gate. "That must be Jesus," she thought. She dashed to the gate. It was a little girl, hungry, weak, poorly dressed. "Lady," she begged. "I am hungry, a slice of bread please." The lady replied, "Oh my dear, I am very sorry. Jesus is coming today. Do come back another day."

The lady returned inside to resume her preparations. There was a second knock on her gate. "Oh my," she gasped. "Jesus is here." She approached the gate; it was a wizened, tattered and weak looking old woman. The old woman whispered in her last breath, "I beg you something to drink. I am thirsty." The lady's heart was moved and she replied, "Lady please, I beg you come back later. I am very busy."

A little guilty

Feeling a little guilty, the lady got back to her work. She sat in the chair, tired and frustrated. She was dozing off when she heard someone calling at her gate. She peeped through a window. It was the figure of a man. "Jesus. Jesus at last," she thought.

She dashed to the gate. It was a hungry beggar. The lady was angry. Once again she was interrupted. She shouted, "You are disturbing me. Get along with you."

She was very upset. She returned inside. Disappointed and tired she fell asleep. That night she had a dream and in that dream Jesus appeared. The lady said to Jesus, "You promised that you would visit today, the entire village prepared for you." Jesus replied to her, "Today, three times I visited you and three times you turned me away."

Remember these thoughts from Matthew 25.

"For I was hungry, and you gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and you took Me in: naked, and you clothed Me: I was sick, and you visited Me: I was in prison, and you came unto Me."

"In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brothers, you have done it unto Me."

This Christmas, as we make our preparations, remember Jesus still visits. Remember to give of our time, talent and treasure to those who are in need.

Dr. Wendel Abel is a consultant psychiatrist and head, Section of Psychiatry, Dept. of Community Health and Psychiatry, University of the West Indies; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.