READING: Micah 5, Matthew 25
All of us have only so much time and energy to give. The Lord graces us with strength and capacity, but we still have human limits. Regrettably, most of us need to do a better job of taking care of ourselves spiritually and physically. That means we have to budget wisely our time, talents, and dollars as we serve the Lord.
One danger we face, though, in addressing this issue is that we will selfishly choose to devote most of our time to those who can (1) best serve our needs, (2) best contribute to our overall work, and (3) best provide something for us. That is, we make choices on the basis of what others have to offer us. It’s not always “the least of these” we seek to serve; it’s sometimes only “the most of these” we seek to get on our team.
Jesus, though, made it clear that we must minister to the “least of these” (Matt 25:40, see also Matt 25:45). We must surely be willing and active in ministering to those who can offer us little in return – little money, little recognition, little earthy reward. That might include the hungry, the thirsty, the sick, the imprisoned, and others. Whoever they are, our ministering to them in Jesus’ name is one indicator of genuine faith.
PRAYER: “God, stop me from passing by the ‘least of these today.’”
TOMORROW’S READING: Weekend is for catch-up and review
MONDAY’S READING: Isaiah 7-10; Psalm 22; Matt 26
