My mother has always possessed a very special way of teaching biblical truth. It was not by what she said as much as it was by the things that she did. I can remember several trips to a very needy family in our community on Saturday afternoons. I would be playing in the yard and she would call me to the house to gather up bags of food, jugs of water, clothes, and even Christmas presents for every member of the family during the Christmas season. There were times that I did not want to stop what I was doing to be concerned about “the least of these” in our community, but mom was teaching me a lesson that would mold and shape my life in such a way that I have never forgotten her willingness to love “the least of these” unconditionally.
AtkinsIn Matthew 25:40, a beautiful reminder about the lesson that my mom was teaching me is given for us as we strive to have a Great Commission Living lifestyle in 2012. Matthew records Jesus saying, “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ I must admit that as a child, when my mom would read this Scripture to me I did not quite understand. How could I possibly do something to bless Jesus? He died on the cross 2,000 years ago, I can’t really do anything that would be a blessing to Him, and even if I could there is no way it would come from ministering to “the least of these.” Or would it?
This past week, I was moved to invite two homeless men to join me and my friends for breakfast. It was obvious that they were down on their luck, had very little, if any, possessions to their name, and were in more need of a hot meal than we were that day. As I asked them to come inside and join us, they were taken aback at first. They asked, “Are you sure you want us to come inside and sit at your table?” The following hour of my life is a time that was made possible by the teaching of my mother that I will never forget.
They told how they were twin brothers who had been homeless for almost eight years with only each other to look out for them. When I asked them if they knew who Jesus was, their faces lit up and a smile emerged from their bearded faces as they began telling us about how they knew Jesus had been caring for them at times when no one else would.
Friends, if we do not show “the least of these” the love of God, then we will never earn the right to engage them about the love of God through his son Jesus. Let me encourage us all to reach out and minister to “the least of these” in 2012 as a part of our Great Commission Living. I know that it will make our Savior, and my mama, very proud if we all do.
– Atkins is pastor of Powdersville First Baptist Church and president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention.