You Call Yourself A “Christian” ~ The Least of These

Greetings Dear Reader,

I hope I can get through this part without sounding judgmental or condemning.  That is not my intent.  Still this is one of those hard things that has many edges and little padding.  I need the lessons of the least reinforced daily.

When Jesus speaks to us about his approach to recognizing his followers he commented on actions taken to show love and kindness to others.  He speaks of those with whom he identifies.  His specifics were, “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 took me into your home. I needed clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me.”

Jesus makes it clear that when we do these things for those around us, no matter how “low” that persons seems to us, we do it TO Christ.  We must not grow weary of hearing this.  It is the core of the outward working of the Gospel.  It is how we show the love of Christ to others.  “The king will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did for me.’”

If I am not addressing the needs of others then I am not following Christ.  Worse, I do not grow in my knowledge of him and how to follow him.  He resides in the pain and needs of others.  He is the widow and orphan.  He is the sick, the homeless, and the prisoner whether we acknowledge it or not.  He is found in those we esteem as low in our society.

It is not only in church that we worship.  It in selfless acts for those in need.  It is in seeing through the disguises of low estate and bad circumstances that we find Christ.  I cannot be willing to pay five dollars for a cup of coffee when a food back can generate fifteen meals for the poor from that same five dollars.  The coffee is only wrong if in getting it we neglect the poor.  Christ wants us to enjoy good things but he also insists that to know him we must invest in the needs of others.

I am not pointing fingers but, instead, holding up a mirror.  If you feel that you need a mirror as well feel free to reflect on this:

Distressing Disguise – Michael Card

He is in the pain, He is in the need

He is in the poor, we are told to feed

Though He was rich, for us He became poor

How could He give so much, what was it for?

In His distressing disguise

He waits for us to surmise

That we rob our brothers by all that we own

And that's not the way He has shown

Every time a faithful servant serves a brother that's in need

What happens at that moment is a miracle indeed

As they look to one another in an instant it is clear

Only Jesus is visible for they've both disappeared

He is in the hand that reaches out to give

He is in the touch that causes men to live

So speak with your life now as well as your tongue

Shelter the homeless, take care of the young

In His distressing disguise

He hopes that we'll realize

That when we take care of the poorest of them

We've really done it to Him

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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