“…whatever
you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for
me….whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for
Me.”
Matthew 25: 40, 45
It is a sad fact that many go to
bed hungry each night; as Christians, we do what we can to alleviate this form
of suffering. But I wonder how many countless more
individuals go to bed hungry for a word of encouragement and the recognition
that they matter.
Perhaps the real challenge to our own personal growth is the challenge
of our responsibility to those around us.
Indeed, we define our faith in the ordinary stuff of our daily routine,
and the way we are with others may be the
truest test of our faith. How do I respond to the homeless person on
the street? What about the
sharp-tongued, harried mother just trying to get through the check-out line? The irritating comments made by someone I
disagree with? How about the lonely
widow down the street? The list goes on
and on, doesn’t it?
Read again the words of Jesus
above. There is no escaping the reality
that all our thoughts, words, and deeds addressed to others are in a real sense addressed to Jesus! “Though Christ no longer visibly moves among
us, we minister to Him in the ragamuffins within reach. Each encounter with a brother or sister is a
mysterious encounter with Jesus Himself.”
(Brennan Manning, Ragamuffin Gospel)
“The kingdom of God is within you.” * As
Christians, Jesus lives within each of us, and His light is within. Indeed, we
are people with a treasure inside, and that treasure is beyond price. Let’s not discount what we have to give to
those who may be hurting. Let’s be “a
vessel for honor, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.”
* Mother Teresa was such a vessel. She said, “We shall never know all the good
that a simple smile can do.” Elizabeth
Elliott put it more directly: “Let me
not imagine that my love for the Lord is very great if I am unwilling to do for
a human being something very small.”
Finally, let’s remember that love leaves a legacy! Our deeds are our monuments! We have the privilege to live in the future,
long after we are gone. When we honor
the Lord by extending love to others, our acts will live on, growing and
building in other lives exponentially.
What a wonderful thought!
Lord, thank You for loving me in countless ways! I want to return Your love by loving
others. Help me to see Jesus in each
person I encounter today, and let me extend the light of your love in any way
that I can, if only by a smile or a kind word.
Let me think with the mind of Christ, see with His eyes, and love with
His heart. Amen
*Luke 17:21, 2
Timothy 2: 20-21
