Ministering to the Least of These

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about raising sons and daughters who are deliberately trying to be Jesus' hands and feet to a world that so desperately needs him.  As I shared my heart with Chris, he told me that opportunities will present themselves, we will just need to be sensitive to them when they do.  I believe that God has recently opened one such door for us at the local nursing home.  We had been visiting my great-grandmother and made several friends at the nursing home.  So when she passed away in March I contacted the activities director for a list of names.  I wanted to visit with some residents who did not get many visits.   So with my list of names in hand, we have been making the rounds every couple of weeks for two months now.


I can't explain the joy I feel as we make our rounds each time we visit.  Starting out I explained to the little ones how I wanted us to be a blessing to others because God has so graciously blessed us.  We have ended up being so blessed by our opportunity to show love to some of the least of these.

It was such a blessing when Mr. Bailey looked at me and said, Just to think...that you would take time out of your day to come and see me...but I was thinking what a blessing it was to be able to sit and listen to him share with my children and I about his thirty years in Alaska.

It was such a blessing to finally have Gracie respond after several weeks of visiting and no noticeable response to my questions.

It was such a blessing to have LouLou help me sing to Audrea.  Audrea who had trouble speaking joined right in with Tell Me the Story of Jesus and just a few days later she was meeting that Jesus that she so joyfully sang about.

It was such a blessing when Nell responded by actually following me with her eyes instead of just staring at the ceiling.

It was such a blessing to meet Helen and give her a flower and to see how meaningful a flower could be.

But the greatest blessing of all has been to see my little two-year old girl reach her hand out and stroke grey hair as we sing and read the Bible to Gracie.  In that moment, the tears well up and I think to myself...that's why I'm doing this...to show my children what Jesus meant when he said:

 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.  Matthew25:35-40