Page 151 - Grace150 Devotional

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and
feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?”... And the King will answer them, “Truly,
I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”
Matthew 25:37, 40
For years I had encouraged my friend Greg to join me at church. At long last,
he decided to give Grace Presbyterian a try.
Greg fell into the category of “one of the least of these”. His hygiene was poor. He
rarely bathed and his appearance was unkempt. In addition, he suffered from a
mental illness that made him suspicious and fearful of any social interaction. Yet
many in our church reached out to Greg in an attempt to welcome him into the
family of Grace. Although Greg resisted those attempts, I know he was impacted
by the welcoming efforts of our church.
Greg was an Air Force veteran. I was with him during the Veteran’s Day service
on a November Sunday. I recall how he enjoyed standing to receive recognition
for his military service. Someone shook his hand and thanked him. Greg seldom
received a kind word or a human touch. That simple gesture of shaking Greg’s
hand and thanking him meant the world to Greg. A few weeks after that Veteran’s
Day service, Greg died.
If we love Jesus, we should love the “least of these.” I am grateful to our church for
treating Greg with love, mercy, and compassion.
Lord, help us to be a church that reflects our love for Jesus in our care for “the
least of these.”
– Scott Reed

devotions for the journey DAY 144