One of the Least of These

          If you talk to my friend, Jen Carson, in her wheelchair, sooner or later this young woman with cerebral palsy will probably confess that she feels God just doesn't notice her.  She is, oh, so small and God is, oh, so very big.  Jen lives in a residential facility and that's the way she thinks.  Sometimes she feels as though the Lord doesn't really notice her.  She says to me, "I'm just your average kid with cerebral palsy."  

            Well, at the same time at a church near her facility, there was an 11^th grader named Kathy who was just starting to get serious about the Lord Jesus in her life.  Kathy had been asking God to show her how she could have a ministry in her own community.  She was just one person... one small person with a very small faith.  What could she do? Kathy asked.

            Well, that's when Kathy met Jen at a Sunday afternoon church outreach at Jen's facility.  The two of them were about the same age and they ended up hanging out together for the afternoon.  The next Sunday, they met again, and before you knew it, Jen and Kathy became fast friends.  There you have it -- a 19-year-old with cerebral palsy in a wheelchair... and a 16-year-old from a local high school. 

            Jen and Kathy, two bright young girls, have found a place in Christ's kingdom.  And I couldn't help but think of their friendship recently when I was reading Matthew 25:40 where Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." 

            Jen Carson need never have worried that she was too small or too insignificant in God's grand scheme of things.  And Kathy with her small faith and small talents need never have been concerned either, because Jesus doesn't just say "Whatever you do for the least of these"... no, that's too general; Jesus is a lot more careful, a lot more specific than that.  Jesus says, "Whatever you do for one of the least of these!"

            The Lord doesn't just generically care about a whole group of people with cerebral palsy; He doesn't show His love with a big brush stroke.  It's not so much about the crowds as it is about caring about one in the crowd.  And Kathy-that high schooler -- need not worry that her ministry isn't big or broad enough, you know, reaching a whole lot of people. Jesus tells her that if she shows compassion on one of the least of these -- just one -- like starting up a friendship with Jen Carson -- and that is a big thing.

            Friend, remember that's how specific God's love really is.  And that's how important your ministry to others - to one other person -- can be.  It's the power of one.  It's all about helping one of the least of these.  Because whatever you do to share compassion and show heaven-sent mercy to one person in need, you have ministered to Christ Himself.  Now that's pretty big and pretty specific and very, very significant!

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