The Least of These

The topic of this entry is something I knew I wanted to write about when I started the blog – it was one of the many messages that I felt people, more specifically professed Christians, needed to hear.  However, I knew that this entry would have the serious potential to be received in a manner other than intended and, therefore, I wanted to be very careful in its delivery.  Specifically, because as I clearly stated in the very first post, this blog isn’t about me, it’s about glorifying God – that’s the only thing it’s about.

So let me preface this with a scripture that instantly came to mind when I decided to write this post:

Matthew 6:1-4

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.  Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others.  Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.  But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret.  And your Father who sees in secret will reward you”.

Whatever good deeds I have done, I have only done so because I have been given the resources, the heart, the motivation, the desire, and the will to do so by God.  If left up to my own carnal instinct, I would solely seek to satisfy myself and ensure my own well-being.  I know this to be a fact because before God came into my life, I had absolutely no interest in caring for the well-being of my earthly brothers and sisters.  Whenever I came into the good fortune of having extra money, I spent it on myself and the things that I desired – it was an opportunity for me to upgrade my lifestyle rather than seek to help others.  I am grateful that God has worked in my life to shape me into a vessel that seeks to carry out His will, but please understand that I am not justified by my good deeds, nor do I merit any praise for them.  If not for God, I would be the same selfish person I’d always been – praise should be given to Him for manifesting Himself in my life, thus revealing His magnificent glory.

That being said, I would like to introduce you to Moises De Jesus Narvaez Sanchez.  Moises is a young child I began sponsoring through Compassion International a little more than 2 years ago.  He lives in Colombia, outside the city of Barranquilla.  In October of this year, he will turn 7 years old.  Moises lives with his mother whom works various jobs to support their family, which includes some extended relatives – his father is not present.  To help care for the family, Moises is responsible for cleaning and running errands.  He enjoys going to the beach and playing soccer. 

In Moises’ community there are approximately 15,000 residents, most of whom work as street vendors and earn roughly $75 per month ($2.53/day).  The typical family lives in a dwelling with a cement floor, brick walls, and a metal roof.  Thankfully, they do have electricity and telephone service; however, they are faced with health issues such as malnutrition, various skin diseases, respiratory infections and diarrhea – due to the region’s lack of clean drinking water and functional sewage systems.  The area is desperately in need of more public schools, employment opportunities, and health services.

Normally, I do not share the good deeds that God, through His Spirit, has given me the chance to do.  To me, they are unique moments that I am able to share between Him, myself, and the person(s) I am able to bless.  It’s like a special little secret between God and I –an opportunity I am most grateful for.  However, I do feel the need to stress that, as Christians, our faith should not simply stop with our belief in God, but it should manifest itself in our lives.  In no way do our good deeds justify us before God – we are justified through our faith in Christ alone, however, our faith should be made clear through our actions and the pursuit of a life that is more Christ-like.  Jesus’ lifestyle shows that He did not come to the Earth to exalt Himself, but rather to serve mankind, even to the point of the ultimate sacrifice (Matthew 20:28).  Therefore, if in calling ourselves Christians, should not our lives display self-sacrifice and generosity towards others so that Christ might be manifested and glorified in us?  I see too many Christians whose faith is simply self-serving – the product of a man-centered theology that promotes the belief that God is here simply to better our lives and lifestyles.

I was able to go on vacation this week with my family, and I am very thankful for that.  I cherished the fellowship and the time spent both with relatives and my wife enjoying God’s beautiful creation.  However, I could not help my mind from wandering repeatedly back to an article I read about the famine in Somolia (news link).  The article states that it is estimated that over 29,000 children under the age of 5 have died in Somolia over the past 90 days due to drought and famine – 29,000 in 90 days!  I can hear friends and family in my mind hypothetically justifying my vacation – “You work hard, you deserve some time off” or “You can’t help everyone”.  What if it was your family that was dying from malnutrition?  Would you rather I took a vacation or would you want me to support relief efforts?  I say this not to guilt you, or myself for that matter, into giving more, but rather in the hope that both you and I would ask God to move within our hearts and shift our focus to the needs of others. 

Matthew 25:34-40 says: Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'  Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?  And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'  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.'  I pray that in His mercy and grace Christ would compel us to serve those around us, that we may be counted as one of the righteous.  I pray that we may be convicted by the Holy Spirit and we would seek to acquire less for ourselves and open our eyes to the poor and downtrodden that are among us.

I would be most humbled and grateful if this inspires you to support any organization that aims to relieve those in poverty, however, I ask that you would consider supporting one that not only aims to help those in need, but also seeks to proclaim the Gospel.