The Least of These

The Gospel lesson this morning in church was so meaningful to me. It was the lesson of the separation between the sheep and the goats, especially verses 34-46:



‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 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 or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”


At times during our lives, we all fall into the category of "the least of these." Right now, I am feeling I fall into "the least of these"- especially the needy/sick.


And I thank God every day for those people who saw Jesus through me and helped me. As they did their acts of kindness and their service for me, they really did it for Jesus. 


Blessed be their acts of service and kindness, and may God continue to work and shine upon those who are helping me, the least of these, in many and various ways.


On a different note, I've been really upset and frustrated lately with the way some people are treating me, the least of these, lately. Ignoring me. Not saying hi. Not even being willing to give me the time of day. Seeing me as helpless and hopeless. Not extending a hand of friendship. It has hurt me and I've struggled with the battle of "God, do something about this!" 


However, I was reminded today by that passage, that God will take care of it. Those who are persecuting against me, hating me, ignoring me, causing excessive suffering to the "least of these", will have to answer to God some day. He will say "I was sick and you did not look after me.... whatever you did not do for the least of these you did not do for me." Who am I to judge these people? They will have to face God for the way they are living their life.


Right now, I am in a time of great confusion. I am still greatly distressed by the way others are treating me and how things have turned out. Promises broken. Our sinful nature gets the best of us, and I am not upset with any certain individual or circumstance. 


I am frustrated with everyone as a whole, more or less. I can't really put it into words. I pray "Why can't others be more like Jesus?", but I realize we are all sinful and that is what frustrates me. 


I know that God is the only one who truly knows how I feel, and how He will be the only one who ever understands. I am letting Him make the judgments on others. They will have to answer for their hurtful actions some day to Him. And that's their business and His business. Not mine. 


Note:  I don't mean for this post to be an attack on any individual who may come across it. This blog is a journal for me, where I can freely write about things on my heart, and things that mean a lot to me. If you don't like it, you don't have to read it.