Built to ServeНамуна

When Jesus Needs Your Winter Mitts

Have you ever been in need when someone gave you a gift?

Years ago, I spent a day in an inner-city drop-in centre. The manager showed us how they organized the donated clothing when he suddenly got excited as he found a pair of winter gloves. He told us they were exactly what he needed since he had just given his personal pair to a homeless man who needed them more.

It was an attention-getting moment. Here was a guy excited that he had blessed someone, and then he was blessed himself.

It reminds me of the Good Samaritan who used what he had to bandage up the hurting man’s wounds.

The Book of Acts has many interesting stories, but one that sticks out is how the Church is introduced to Stephen in chapter 6.

The early Church is growing, and so are the needs. When the apostles realized that some widows were being overlooked, they suggested that they give this responsibility to men who would make sure changes were made. But they had criteria these men had to meet and said they were to be “full of the Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3 NIV).

Why would these be qualities to look for? Why not the gifts of administration or leadership?

The answer is found in Matthew 25:40, where Jesus tells His disciples that whatever they did to the least, they would do to Him.

In other words, the early Church needed men who were full of the Spirit to care for the least among them because the least are important to Jesus. When we are full of the Spirit, we will begin to care about what or who the Spirit cares about. And when we care about them, we will be able to bandage their wounds and pour on oil and wine, as the Good Samaritan did for the injured man (Luke 10:34 NIV).

To live a life of putting others first calls us to do something for someone else. We don’t go around pouring oil and wine on them. But what about helping at a local shelter? Or visiting someone in the hospital? Or simply mowing a widow’s lawn?

Whatever it is, use what you have to help the “least of these” so that you do it to Jesus (Matthew 25:40 NIV).

And who knows, maybe He will bless you with a new pair of gloves, or whatever else you may need.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for seeing every person. Help me see the ones I might not normally see, because they are important to you. Amen.

Reflection: What is something you can give to someone else today? Whatever that might be, go and give it!