What You Do To The Least of These: Lend A Helping Hand

Okay Alan has been wanting to write about this for some time now and so I finally get around to it  . So what do I do with all my spare time you may ask? Some may wonder how do I serve given that we have been in house churches and we don’t have the infrastructure support that most traditional services have (this is one thing I am going to miss, I sort of hate the dog and pony show but hey……)

One of the toughest sections of scripture to swallow is found in Matthew 25:31-46. I will not include the entire section but here is a highlight of the section:

44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Many of us grace centered brothers sort of shriek at this section of scripture. Even as I read it today it just brings a chill to my spine. I want to zone in to the section where Jesus says “as you did not do to one of the least of these”. Now I want to say this to add a level of comfort, the least of these to each of us is different. One thing I hate is when a Christian has a certain passion or conviction about a certain area of service and then superimposes that on everyone and makes it there responsibilities. We are all gifted and wired differently. So for you maybe that is helping inner city children, maybe that is helping a elderly neighbor, maybe that is moving into the inner city and church planting, maybe that is an animal shelter, maybe it is a hospice care center for me it is the elderly.

I am a volunteer for Lend a Helping Hand, a grass roots organization that helps three people groups. The Homeless, the Elderly and the Disabled. We have no 501, we have about $95 dollars in the bank currently and there is roughly 5 of us who actually do the work. I came to this position by googling serving in Grand Prairie. It came up I contacted the gentleman and asked how can I help. We met and from then on I have loved this brother. He has nothing really. He is retired, doesn’t make any money, has very little himself but saw a need and decided to fill it. I am so glad that he has allowed me to not only be a part of this but a part of his life.

Anyway I am the Director of Elderly Care and I have been doing this for the last year now (started last Christmas) I organize parties (these pictures are from the Christmas party) we visit the home regularly and talk with those who reside there. Many have outlived their families, others didn’t have families, and well others, their families never come for one reason or the other. I want to be honest. It is the most humbling thing ever. I have learned more about my own fears and I pray so much for my heart. Most of these people share a room the size of my bedroom have a few articles of clothing (this is not an upscale retirement home) and some can’t talk or move anymore. I think about the day I am put there and pray that someone would come and see me.

Well these people are now the least of these. They are often ignored and the greatest joy is to see them smile. They love when I bring Caleb up there, maybe its the youth that brings back sweet memories but he never leaves with anything less than a bag of candy.

I hope that you find your least of these, most people look for huge platforms or think that God can’t use them, but it is this where Jesus is glorified. Not the big stage, not the huge church with the popular ministry, it is this stuff. God loves them and since we have the obligation to bear His love to the world, I have decided to do it with them. No matter big or small, popular or unknown don’t forget your least of these. Jesus’ words are very strong.