Loving the Least of These

“Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine, and injustice in the world, when He could do something about it…but I’m afraid He might ask me the same question.” –Anonymous

I have wanted to share this quote for a long time, but have been too scared to post about it because I would be publicly saying that I would “do something about it.” The more Jared and I work towards our adoption, the more we realize the need out in our community, country, and world. I believe the biggest need people have is coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus as their Savior, but how do you show (not just tell) someone who is suffering that God loves them? I would like to tell someone whose child is dying, someone who is homeless, someone who just lost their husband,  a child dying of starvation that my God loves them, but how can I show them God’s love? A song that came to mind was "Change" by Carrie Underwood. Her first lyrics talk about the homeless, then she moves on to talk about the starving orphans of our world. It made me think: what can we do here in our community and then also in our world?

I have a thought. You are probably much smarter than me and already know this but sometimes it takes me a while. What if I showed them God’s love for them by the love I have for them? This is obviously not an original thought! I have read this countless times in God’s Word but like I said, sometimes things don’t hit me right away. I’m too concerned with the struggles going on in my own house to realize my neighbor’s pain. So in an effort to be more loving, Jared and I have started brainstorming: how can we genuinely love the people around us?

We are preparing to jump out of our comfort zones to reach a world in need, in small ways. I’ll share what some of those very small ways are in my next post. Enjoy what has become an eye opening song in the Kidder house.

…for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.
Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?” And the King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”

–Matthew 25:35-40 NKJV