The Least of These

"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.  Then the righteous will answer him,'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick and in prison and go to visit you?'  The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

Matthew 25:35-40

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I can remember as a child asking my dad questions about the people I saw on the streets.  After I began to understand that it was because they were poor and couldn't afford a place to live, and many times food, I would literally sob when I saw them.  It was fairly easy for my parents to follow the direction of the scripture I mentioned above because they would surely not want to listen to me crying constantly.  :)

As I got older, I think my heart got a little hard.  Many times you see people asking for money, and on several occasions I would give them my hard earned money, and then watch them walk away to do something with it that was obviously not what they asked for it for.

Learned that lesson.  From then on, I decided to provide for the need, and not provide cash.

Shortly after Wayne and I married we were heading home from visiting my parents.  We stopped at a gas station where a younger guy came up and asked for some money for gas.  He was "completely out and was trying to make it back home" which was about 20 minutes from where we were.  Wayne handed him some cash that would have been more than enough for him to get home, and we watched him run and jump in his car (that obviously had gas in it) and speed off.

Obviously I didn't completely "learn that lesson."

I was quite frustrated.  This had happened to Wayne so many times, and he was fed up.  For a while we did nothing.  We didn't make eye contact with "those" people, and we would hurry the other way when they started heading towards us.

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

There are tons of scriptures in the Bible about taking care of the needy.  Last I read, it didn't say "Only if they do you right."  I've been convicted of that lately.  God didn't tell us to turn our back on them.  We can't answer for what they do with what we give them, but we will have to answer to what we don't give to our brothers and sisters in need.

Will I be cautious?  Absolutely.  Especially as women, I would advise you to be very careful.  BUT, you can be careful and obedient.

Fast forward to present day.

Last night Wayne was having to work on his truck.  He had a couple of his friends over here helping, and I headed out to get some pizzas for everyone.  As I was coming home, there was an older woman holding a sign up asking for money or food.  I did what I've done over the last few years, and I turned my head and tried really hard not to make eye contact.  Before I knew it, I was turning my car around - the conviction was so strong I couldn't stand it - and grabbed some breadsticks and pizza out of our boxes.  I wish you could have seen her face as she exclaimed "PIZZA!!!!!"  What a blessing it was for me.  This woman was overjoyed over a few pieces of a $5 pizza that I totally take for granted that I can go get whenever I want.  It was a humbling experience for me.  

I tell you this not to pat myself on the back for doing good last night.  I tell you because I need many slaps on the hand from not doing it time and time again.  How many times have I allowed my own bitterness towards past experiences to show the love of Jesus?  I have a new outlook.  I pray you do too.