During my growing up years, I read a great many fairy tales. My favorite fairy tale format was where the hero or heroine helped out an unfortunate person—someone very poor or very old or very young. The hero or heroine subsequently found out it was all a test of their goodness, kindness and generosity. The sorceress, fairy or magician rewarded them with a valuable prize or granted the hero or heroine a wish for his/her goodness.  

Then the King will say to those on his right, "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, 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." . . . The King 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 25:34-36, 40)

 

Of all those tales, my favorite was the one where the good sister was rewarded by having jewels etc. fall from her lips when she spoke. The mean sister had frogs, toads and other horrid creatures fall from hers. And of course when it came time for the prince to choose his wife, who do you think he chose?

The accepted moral of the tale was to do good to whoever you come upon because you never know who is beneath the rags. One could compare this to Jesus’ parable of the sheep and the goats, representing those who did good to all, and those who failed to do good for anyone. Both the theme of the fairy tale and the lesson from the parable states “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers/sisters of mine, you did for me.” 

If, however, this is all the thinking and pondering we do on this, it is my belief that we have missed the deeper message of both the fairy tale and Jesus’ parable. If a person does acts of charity for the reward anticipated, then the good deed is diminished. It is very easy to be compassionate and giving if the reward is easily discernible; who would bypass the opportunity to host an angel in a thinly veiled disguise?

Being honest in your dealings with others does not strain the will if the pocketbook is rewarded. A generation of business persons have founded their livelihood on the principle that a Christian business person is sure to prosper. And if a guarantee of sainthood can be attained by a lifetime of moderation and decorum, who will indulge in the vices of life? 

There is no question that when we call upon our higher natures as Christians that we will demonstrate compassion and caring. The varying Christian relief projects, mission work, disaster relief and other sterling examples of planned aid are founded on this principle. But in the fairy tale, the hero/heroine did not know he/she was being tested; it was not an end to a means, but simply an outpouring of natural instinct. In the same way, the parable of the goat and the sheep illustrates instinct and not calculated purpose; the sheep were just fulfilling their role as sheep, just as the goats could not do that which was not goat-like.

The fairy tale’s truest moral, and what Jesus is speaking to, is the day-to-day dealings with the people we meet. It is the act of caring and compassion for its own sake that is important; not because of who the recipient is or might be, or what might come of the interaction, or what dire circumstances they might be in. Simply, that is how we as Christians should treat all people. Too often Christian compassion is exercised to “them” and “those” “out there.” And little thought is given to the person ahead of us in the line for the bank, or the person whose cart is behind us in the grocery line.

It was many years ago that the concept of “random acts of kindness” become popular in our culture. However, when that concept caught the public’s imagination I asked myself, why “random”? Jesus did not call us to “random” Christianity. It should happen every day of the year, from the time we awaken in the morning to the time we go to sleep at night, encompassing every person that we encounter during that time.

The question is, can we as human beings with mortal limitations really do that? Of course not! But, it is not the succeeding that is important: it is the continuing effort. Seeing each day as a fresh opportunity for caring and service, and seizing that opportunity, is the highest calling we can have. Jesus, our Lord, is with us every day, unfailing in Divine compassion. Let us strive to allow our God to show that love through us. No fairy tale reward will come our way, but we will be part of the Lord's glory.