ON THE VANGUARD

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 or 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

I wish I could say that I may always cared for people, but I cannot. I wish I could say that my intentions have always been pure, but I cannot. I even wish I could say that I have always been a representation of Christ, but I definitely cannot. But what I can tell you is of a personal experience where my eyes were truly opened and I first realized what Jesus meant when He said, "...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."
In 1995, I was blessed to have gone on a missions trip as a representative of God, and also of my college. It was not my first trip by any means. I had previously smuggled Bibles into China and taught a pantomime school in Slovakia, but this was my first time visiting a South American country. When I visited China, I was a young 16 year old who wanted to see what God could do, as well as see a place outside of America. When I visited Europe, I was a young man who honestly was more excited about the girls than anything else. But when the chance for Peru came up, I had a feeling God wanted to show me a few things. I had never been drawn to Peru, so I had no thoughts about the young ladies or the scenery. This trip was solely about what God could do in and through me if I let Him.
In the two months we were in Peru we visited five different cities, did countless dramas, ate great Peruvian food, and saw many come to Christ. But one memory from that trip is still burned in my mind, and one that I never want to lose. I had been struggling on the trip with compassion. I kept telling God that because I had never had a desire for these people, I was finding it hard to have any compassion for them. So on a bus ride from our base to a park where we would be doing some street evangelism, I prayed. I prayed that God would just overwhelm me with compassion for these people. I prayed that I would stop going around in the rut of judging these people and see them the way God saw them. And then it happened.
Our team leader had purchased some loaves of bread to pass out to the beggars in the park. Based on my prayer on the bus ride over, I was cautious not to just give it away, but to give it as God directed me. In a way I was hoarding it, but with a right reason. Then across the way I saw a man in a torn sweater, wholly pants, and no shoes, carrying a bag of all he owned. I was drawn to him. As I learned his story through a translator, the compassion I had prayed for began to envelope me. Out of work and unable to meet his rent, he was forced to the streets for survival. My heart went out to him. I gave him my bread and we talked about Jesus, and he did prayer to receive Christ with me, but it wasn't enough. I was seeing him like God saw him. I wanted to give him my money, my shoes, my clothes, my everything...and I am still not sure my everything would have been enough.
Later that night in our debriefing, God laid Matthew 25 on my heart. I had done it to a least of these, and really had done it unto God. My reward was not a kudos but rather something so much better. Since that time I have felt even more so drawn to find little ways to help people. I know that one such way is in words. God has granted me with a passion to write, and even though I fumble in my words and sentence structure, I know He is using my words to challenge and encourage others. But what about you? Are you like I was early on in life, where you are so consumed with yourself that you are unable to be a blessing to others? Does compassion for others flow out of you, or does it seem to interfere with the plans you have for yourself that day? I am not here to beat you down, for we are all wired a different way. But, we are all in some way wired to God, therefore, our hearts should beat as His. Take time today for one of the least of these, and join me ON THE VANGUARD!