Give of Yourself

      When is the last time you stopped in your busy life and thought of the 'least of these,' have you recently? When is the last time you stopped and bought food for a homeless person or volunteered at a shelter? When is the last time you gave someone in need your time and a gentle encouraging touch or hug, instead of dropping a dollar into some donation bin? When is the last time you called or checked in on an elderly or sick neighbor?
       It's pretty obvious what I am getting at here, and if you were able to respond that you have done one, some, or all of those things recently, God bless you! But I think most of us read that, and knew in our hearts we should be doing better, I know I did. My husband tells me often that I am the most generous person he knows, but recently I realized that giving what money I can away to help others is not enough. Its a good place to start, and certainly something I will always do, but it's just not enough. If you are feeling that way too, please read on, John the Baptist said to a crowd of people who had come to be baptized by him this when they asked what they should do "Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” in Luke 3:11; and Jesus tells us in Matthew 25:40 that whatever we do for the least of these we do for Him.  
       The Bible also tells us in Isaiah 58:10 'If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.'  What does this mean? Well, to me when I first heard it, it sounded like we had to give of ourselves to those in need, not just our money, we need to give them our time, and prayers, a place in our hearts, that this is what our Lord deems as righteousness. So, I read the verse in context, reading the whole passage, and that's exactly what it is saying.
       Hearing that verse on the radio this morning and the two stories they shared on the program about people not only giving the homeless a meal, but also their time and the effect it had on all parties involved, convicted me. I had already been feeling as though I needed to do more, that I wanted to do more, I have been desiring to really connect and talk to the hurting about God, but not only that, I want do something to show them I care, that someone cares. This morning's stories and that verse came as confirmation to me that this is what God wants.
        I wasn't going to write about this today, I didn't want to. I was going to keep this bottled up and only talk about it with two or three close friends. But each time I sat down to write, I started writing this, and I would a hear an internal voice saying 'Feed my children.' so after a third attempt to write something else and still ending up on this subject I relented and began writing this. I believe it is was important to write this today so we can all realize that we are here to love each other, we are here to support, encourage, and at times be God's provision for each other.

Proverbs 14:31        
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.

Proverbs 28:27        
Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.

Matthew 25:34-43

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 

1 John 3:17-18        

But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.