This last Sunday was an awesome day in our church.  I got to share about God’s call to feed the Hungry, to give a drink to the thirsty, to invite in the stranger, to clothe the naked, and to visit the sick and person in prison.  In preparation for this service I felt a heavy weight about what I do.  I felt very humbled because there are people in our church that do so much as you can tell by the video I have included.  As I prayed and thought through how I was suppose to share to the congregation I was reminded of the fact in the instance of the “least of these” that it is Jesus that we are helping.

I remember when this first was written on my heart.  I was in a class taught by Chap Clark in seminary.  For this class we had to read a bunch of books.  One of the books we read was called Starting Right inside it there is an article written by Tony Campolo: Reflections on youth ministry: taking seriously the Least of These.  In this article Campolo writes about dealing with kids that would come to serve in his inner-city ministry context.  These kids would frequently reflect that they were glad they didn’t live there or how they felt blessed after seeing what little the people had in the inner-city.  This was frustrating to Campolo who felt that they were missing a vital part of what was happening while they were there.  So he began to teach on the Least of These in Matthew 25.  The kids began to understand that they should be honored to serve where they are.  After I read this chapter I realized that I also had missed it when it comes to being a servant.  I would go and do the work like it was a duty.  I lacked the respect for the people I was helping.

My sermon was just that.  I shared that as Christians we should be honored whenever we come into the oppurtunity to help someone.  Christ says that when we helped one of the least of my brothers that you have helped him.  We need to have servant’s hearts and seek God’s will for people we interact with.  You may have never known it but when you helped out that person who was hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, or imprison that person truly indeed was your Saviour, Christ Jesus, Amen.

What things do your churches do to reach out?  What other ideas do you have to practically make a difference for the poor and least of these?