VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN LIFE: “THE LEAST OF THESE” A MINISTRY PRIORITY
My brother John Tyler Cunningham is the best example I know of making “the least of these” a ministry priority. At the visitation prior to his memorial service, there came to the funeral home, one by one, quite a few of the town’s underprivileged folks, whose identities had been unknown to his family yet who, with tears in their eyes, wanted to pay their respects to “Mr. Johnny”.
As we listened to the stories of several folks who were willing to talk about why they came, tears welled up in our eyes when we learned that, as an example, “Mr. Johnny” came upon two barefoot, raggedy-dressed boys rummaging through garbage cans in the back alley of a restaurant.
Long story short, “Mr. Johnny” picked them up, got them something to eat, took them: to a department store for shoes and clothing . . . to a grocery store for groceries . . . home to their mother who told us that she had never believed in Santa Claus until she met “Mr. Johnny” . . . he had been an answer to her prayers.
“The least of these” that evening at the funeral home simply but profoundly affirmed what we had always thought about our brother – who, through the years since our daddy died, had unselfishly put the needs of five of us ten siblings ahead of his own, never complained about it. He did it out of the goodness of his heart.
True love acts out of the goodness of a heart transformed by God’s love . . . not for reward, nor recognition, nor position, nor power, nor praise of people, but for the sake of meeting needs that otherwise would have gone unmet had he not done what needed to be done, when it needed to be done, wherever it needed to be done, for as long as it needed to be done.
Even though my brother’s body lay in a casket that evening, distinct was my impression that, from his spiritual abode, “Mr. Johnny” communicated his uneasiness at the public revelation to family and friends of his good deeds.
He was just that kind of person – God-loving, Christ-honoring, born-again, others-minded, me-last child of the King described by Jesus – Matthew 25:34-40 . . .
The time had come for Jesus to draw a distinction between the righteous who were (are, would be) prepared to inherit the kingdom and the unrighteous who would be disinherited. What a moment of truth! A stark reality of “the way it is”!
The focus of this lesson: the righteous whose love for Jesus was (is, will be) evident by love for others - to the obvious extent that making “the least of these my brethren” a ministry priority comes naturally to them.
“Oh, How I Love Jesus” was the title of a hymn we sang quite often where I grew up. Since I love Jesus so much, and love is “something you do” as some of us believe, the question is, how do I express or show my love for Jesus? Jesus taught that ministry to persons in need is how we love Jesus.
Without hesitation nor expectation of favors in return, a follower who is rightly related to Jesus, when confronted with a need, instinctively does the right thing . . . responds in the right way . . . manifests the spirit of Jesus.
Jesus illustrated the right response to an obvious need during his explaining the difference between the righteous and the unrighteous - whom He compared to “sheep” and “goats”.
His “sheep” know Him and do what He says, or they do as He would have them do, instinctively -- without debating it . . . weighing the pros and cons . . . giving it a second thought. The righteous do the right thing because they are righteous . . . When the righteous become aware of a need, they simply act in the best interests of the person in need . . . Question: Aren’t we all “in need”?
“Not my brother nor my sister but it’s me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer”! Yes, we all have spiritual needs that are met by trusting Jesus our friend . . . advocate . . . strength . . . encourager . . . brother . . . Savior and Lord. “Jesus is all the world to me . . .” and Since Jesus means all the world to me, I want Him to mean all the world to thee!
So, let it be that, in sunshine or shadow, good times or bad time, in sickness or in health, today or tomorrow - if my path is crossed by someone who needs a friend . . . advocate . . . the day brightened . . . to be encouraged . . . to be saved . . . just a deed of kindness - something to eat . . . a drink of water . . . a visit . . . to be prayed for. . . rather than ask God whether or not I should respond, see the need as a chance God has given me to minister in the name of Jesus.
Surprise! Serving others is serving Jesus! We were not there -- in Bethany, to have the chance Mary had to anoint His feet . . . in the Upper Room, to have a chance for Him to wash our feet . . . in Jerusalem, to furnish a donkey for him to ride as He made His way into the Holy City. But you know what?
We don’t have to go back in time to experience the awesomeness of doing something significant for . . . with . . . to our Lord. Do it now! Just a simple act!
Doers are “blessed” of the Father . . . Doers inherit a prepared place in the kingdom. “Blessed” - not the Greek word “happiness” found in the Beatitudes, but a word that describes objects of God’s blessing – in this case, those whom God celebrates . . . “speaks well of”.
What can be greater than having the Lord God “speak well of” you?
The point of the parable: The King “speaks well of” those who serve Him by serving others – the emphasis being, not on the “who” but the “what” - not delaying by debating the question “who is my neighbor” – but instinctively directing one’s attention to “what” it is that “whoever” needs from me, Christ’s representative. Whatever the righteous do for others comes from who they are in Christ. “We are Christ’s hands . . . feet . . . mouthpiece.”
Acts of love are not deliberative responses to requests, but normal responses to human beings in need!
A seminary professor, Dr. Frank Stagg, made indelible impressions on all of us young “ministers in the making” by using stark analogies, as did Jesus, to stoke our recall of important truths taught by Jesus.
Regarding the point made in this parable, Dr. Stagg drew this unforgettable analogy: “Place a mouse before a cat and one sees what a cat is; place a person in need before a true child of God and one sees what a child of God is.”
A Bible expositor who has taught me much in terms of practical application of Scriptural truths, Dr. William Barclay tells the story of Martin of Tours, a Roman soldier and a Christian:
One wintry day, Martin was approached by a beggar who asked him for money. Martin had none to give but seeing the man shivering from the cold, he took off his own soldier’s coat, cut in in two pieces and gave one piece to the beggar.
That night Martin had a dream in which he saw Jesus in heaven surrounded by the angels. Much to his surprise, Jesus was wearing half of a Roman soldier’s coat! One of the angels asked him why he was wearing half of an old, worn out, frayed coat. “Where did you get it?” Jesus answered, “My servant Martin gave it to me.” Folks: Christians cannot exist in isolation from the community in which we dwell and the people with needs who can be found there – not if we are going to make a difference for Christ.
Why be thought of as “old goats” when we can just as readily be thought of as “old sheep”?
Remember how Jesus put it: “Everyone will know that you are my disciples (my sheep) because of your love for one another.”
After all, the main thing in Victorious Christian Living is Christian Love. And to do the small thing is to do the main thing – show God’s love!
Jesus said it; that settles it; not only do I believe it, I will do it (the small thing) every chance I get. Amen.
