The Least of These

"People have forgotten what life is all about. They've forgotten what it is to be alive. They need to be reminded. They need to be reminded about what they have and what they can lose. And what I feel is the joy of life, the gift of life, the freedom of life, the wonderment of life." ~Leonard Lowe, Awakenings

The Least of These
It's strange what triggers memories sometimes. Frequently, the last year or two I have thought about a handful of adults who reached out to me when I was a child.

I remember a couple who took be out for Dairy Queen once or twice (he was even ill with cancer). An Italian, grandpa-aged man who bought me some stuffed animals, which I've kept till this day (stuffed animals were my FAVOURITE gift as a kid). A man who sat on the dock with me and sang "K-K-K-Katy" to me every summer.

The unique thing to me about these is that I grew up in a good and loving home. In fact, I was the youngest of six kids and a pastor's daughter. I could easily have been looked at as "all right" with enough attention to be overlooked. But somehow the love of God came through them to me (they couldn't have known that "quality time" is one of my love languages, but God did).

I just shared with a friend of mine about one other time I remember so vividly along this memory trail.

During a family vacation one summer, I disobeyed my sister, Connie, when she was taking care of me. I was a fish, as a kid. I lived in the water from morning till night. So my parents gave me the choice of no swimming for a day or a spanking. The spanking would be quicker, but I hated them so much that I chose not to swim. So the next day I sat on shore watching everyone else. Then a couple came over and asked if they could take me out. We went to a restaurant and ordered a brownie. I'll never forget that. I think I was old enough to know I deserved my punishment and wasn't escaping it. Instead, this became a picture of grace which made my punishment bearable.

These lessons were given to me at the youngest of ages, but have stayed with me all my life. By example, these individuals showed me what taking time for "the least of these" could look like. Their attention, singling me out, made me feel significant in their eyes. It didn't boost my self-importance, I don't think, but made me wish to give this gift to others too.

As I mentioned, these acts poured God's love and grace into my heart in life-demonstrated ways. He recognised me in a crowd (of family, church, nation, world), reached out through them, and touched me in a way that I could understand.

And, it was through simple things—some time, a gift, a song.

Jesus Loves the Little Ones Like You
I visited my parents over the holidays and my mom read aloud a book to us during some free time. One of the quotes from the books that stuck with me was "Jesus sure loves the children, Dad."

Whether or not the circumstances of the book took place or not, it's true—Jesus sure loves the children.

Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. (Luke 18:16)

It's made me think about whether there is some teenager or child (or some adult who's often alone), who I might be able to show this love to. It can be simple, but God can use it in marvelous ways.

Do you have memories of people who impacted you for good or for bad by singling you out? Please share your story with me below in the comments.

Heaven

In some ways, I had almost an idyllic childhood or at least it looks that way in retrospect. Some of my best memories were in a very small town in Minnesota with my best friend living next door. He eventually moved.

Twenty-five years later, we reconnected via Facebook. He compared our childhood times to heaven: "The bliss and simple pleasure of swinging on a swing in the backyard on a summer day with my best friend, who I loved with absolutely no taint of the impurities and flaws that come later in life... I always think that that is what our lives will be like in heaven... yet enhanced because we will understand what we've lost and finally returned to."

Jesus said: "Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." Luke 18:17

Innocence characterizes childhood. Sadly, it quickly is destroyed in many children today. One definition of innocence is "freedom from guile, cunning, or deceit; simplicity or artlessness." Children are the first to tell you that you smell or are fat. They'll wrap their arms around your neck and tell you they love you. They will cry when they are sad. They laugh and skip and never worry about the eyes that follow them.

This past Christmas, a little four or five year old walked up in front of the church to sing. She tripped on the steps, but scrambled back up and performed. Watching her face, I could see she wasn't worried what we thought of her. I wonder if there is one adult in a million who could trip and not worry, even slightly, about his image.

I think it is their honesty about life and who they are and their simple trust to which God is referring when He invites us to come to Him like a child. Ignorance and foolishness also blind their understanding. But Jesus reveals this is not characteristic of His children: "...be wise as serpents and innocent as doves" Matthew 10:16. He does not ask us to shut off our brain, but to turn it on for Him.

What does all this have to do with heaven?

Charles Stanford said, "Heaven must be in me before I can be in heaven." This is the point Jesus was making when He said the pure in heart will see God (Matthew 5:8). Yet how can we return to the innocence of children? He explains that we must be born again, born a second time (John 3:1-21). When questioned about what this means, Jesus stated the most frequently quoted, yet poignant scripture: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
(Joh 3:16-17)

Heaven is still a distant place that each person will receive or reject forever before they die. Is heaven in you?