The Least of These

I watched a devotional this morning. It was about “giving thanks.” It said we should give thanks to God for our food and shelter. And I started thinking, “What about those without food and shelter? What do they have to give thanks for?”
Then I looked in the mirror. And I knew.
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God does not want us to thank Him because we have life better than the next person. He wants us to thank Him by BECOMING Jesus to the next person.
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The one without. The same Jesus who fills our plate wants us to pay it forward…and fill empty plates and empty stomachs…empty souls, too. Then, they, too, can be thankful to Him.
Make no mistake. God is no respecter of persons. That means He loves that grizzled older man on the corner
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or that hungry young girl on the streets as much as he loves you and me. Through our actions and not our words, they can see how much God loves them.
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They will, literally, “taste and see that the Lord is good.” And it is the goodness of God that leads men to repentance and eternal life.
Jesus compared the Kingdom of God to a banquet. It is our job to hand out dinner tickets and compel the hungry and homeless to come inside for His food and shelter. Our responses are recorded in Heaven. King Jesus one day will address those who blessed others in His name,
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“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.” Matthew 25:40
So, what can we do? A good friend met a man who was homeless for about 16 years. He lived on the streets, often drunk, until Jesus Christ set him free. This man celebrated his fourth month of sobriety, recently. So, my friend, the homeless man, along with a local businessman, set up twice-weekly dinners for the homeless, served free of charge at the Hibachi Grill in Hickory, North Carolina. They conceived the idea together on the evening of Christmas Day, 2023, invited the homeless from the street to come for a special luncheon the next day. Literally, one half day, start to finish, from the conception of the idea, the first “Love Matters” luncheon was conducted for 10 people.
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The newly formed group, “Love Matters,” now will meet in a corner room of the restaurant from 1 o’clock until 3 o’clock on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Since those are slower hours and the restaurant does not charge for the room, it must for the meals. During Love Matters luncheons, people can tell stories, read from the Bible, and share their hopes for a better future in Jesus. But there’s no mandatory sermon and no strings attached. These are actual images of the first “Love Matters” luncheon.
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After dinner, those in attendance receive help from one another with their medical and clothing needs, too.
Even as Jesus multiplied the bread and fishes, He wants these ad hoc groups to multiply, as well. Steal this idea and run with it. You, too, can have your first dinner meeting, perhaps tomorrow.
Their informal group is named, “Love Matters.” But you can name your group whatever you like. It’s not the words that count. It’s the heart and the actions.

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