The Least of These

Today was a difficult day for me emotionally.  Some days it hits me more than others, and today was one of those days.  I would like to share my journal entry from the morning and some of the other related thoughts I had today.

 

"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 25:40

This verse comes to mind as I sit up here on my window sill and watch a man digging through trash and bags of clothes that my neighbors have discarded on this trash pick up day.  What has happened in his life that brought him to this place, to be a trash digger?  It makes me sad, and yet I am reminded that he is your child as much as I am your child.  My kids at the tutoring center may or may not come from similar homes- I've seen where some of them live and it is hard to take in- but they are your children just like me.  I wonder if this mans feels valued by you, knows your love for him?  What could I do for him that wouldn't be something that would just make me feel better?  I don't have an answer for that.  

I am grateful for my chance to be here for this chapter of my life, to invest in some of the children that the world may overlook or forget about.  Desamparados, the city where I live, literally means "the forgotten ones" in Spanish.  That is not true though, they are not forgotten, and you, Lord, know that more than anyone else.  Jesus, give me your eyes to see your children as you do and to know you love them just as you love me.

I was further reminded of this as I saw a mom with an infant on the bus today.  No fancy baby toys or stroller or anything at all really, but just the love she had for her newborn child.  The man that I saw with the prosthetic leg as I got off the bus.  I could easily look at him and feel bad for him, but he was smiling and appeared to be loving the sun shining and talking with his friends.  And then there's my friend from Los Guido who is 15 and in 5th grade for the third time.  What do I have in common with this young woman and how can I show her that she is valued and precious?  I'm thankful that I am going to be here for the next few years so that I will have time to invest in her and continue to remind her every time I see her that God loves her and I do too.  

It is not easy seeing people who seem to be "forgotten" by society or social norms or what have you, but Jesus loves them so very much.  I'm thankful that he showed me a little glimpse of that today.