More Jesus Visits...

So our church was visited by Jesus not just once, but twice this week.  Wednesday morning, I was working in the office and a gal walked in to see if we could help find coats for her and her kids.  After chatting with her for a while, I learned that her and her husband are in the middle of trying to move to the area and have been having some work difficulties - a bad economy at work.  By God's grace and through the efforts of the people of the church, we were able to find coats for her and for her two kids.

Whatever you do for the least of these...

Then, on Wednesday Night, we were doing our regular Bible study when a guy walked in who none of us had ever seen before.  I was ready for him to ask for money or gas or something and, sadly, my first thought was to give him whatever it was and let him be on his way.  How horrible is that?  But it turns out he didn't want anything other than to just sit with us as we studied the Sermon on the Mount.  He came in, sat down next to me and listened quietly through the whole lesson.  As we talked after the service, he mentioned that he had been on a walk, a brief respite from life, and saw the light on, and decided to walk in.  I chatted with him for a few minutes, prayed with him, and he was on his way.

Whatever you do for the least of these...

What struck me about these people is the stark differences between who can be "the least of these."  Typically I think of the least of these as only the excessively poor or hungry or children without medical care; or of third world countries.  It seems like the lesson for me this week is that the least of these can be a mother and wife who, because of circumstances completely out of her control, finds herself without coats for her kids as winter approaches.  The least of these can be a guy who just wants a break from whatever is going on in his life and decides to come to a Bible study.  There is no limit to the least of these, no limit to who my "neighbor" is.

Lord, thank you for opening my eyes this week to the truth of the world around me.  Not everyone who needs help is going to look like what I think.  Thank you for sending Jesus to our church to visit us, and I pray that you would continue to allow us the opportunity to minister to those around us - whether they "want" something or not.  Let our eyes continue to be opened to your view of the world!  You are so great and I exist, we exist, only to make your Name known.  To God be the glory.  Amen.