“Gypsies, tramps and thieves…papa would do whatever he could, preach a little gospel…” * Only a song right?
When I sought the definition of gypsy I was shown “itinerant: a laborer who moves from place to place as demanded by employment”. I had never put it together before, but I was reminded of the migrant workers who seasonally came and went in the tiny town where I grew up. We called them “olive pickers”. Looking at our nation today, we have gypsies everywhere. Mostly these people groups are of foreign origin and not legally documented. They often follow the crops for harvests.
Tramps by definition were more diverse than my mindset really. Those who would take an excursion to such a degree they’d leave all, just to traverse the country. Of course there was the familiar; sexually promiscuous women often referred to as prostitutes, whether selling themselves or giving themselves freely to men. Anyone remember a name Mary?
Thieve was more black and white in understanding. They stole!
All are labels placed on people two thousand years ago and even today. Yesterday and today, Jesus paid for all.
1Ki 8:41 And don’t forget the foreigner who is not a member of your people Israel but has come from a far country because of your reputation.
Luk 8:2 There were also some women in their company who had been healed of various evil afflictions and illnesses: Mary, the one called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out;
Mat 27:38 Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
Luk 23:39-43 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Gypsies, tramps and thieves are the very one’s sought after by Christ. We see them everyday, so let’s love them like Jesus loved them. We don’t need to preach the gospel, we simply need to live the gospel and it will preach itself.
* Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves by Cher