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The Least of These

            I love mission trips.  I am amazed by the lessons I learn and the ways my life is changed.  The first day of our mission trip we looked at Matthew 25:45, He will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.  I was leading the devotions and I asked everyone to ask God what He wanted to teach us about the least of these. 
            In thinking about the least of these, I knew God didn’t want me to think that I was more than they were.  I knew that God didn’t want me to look at the people He was sending me to as less than me.  Yet, I was amazed at what He showed me.  He did a total about-face reversal in my mind and showed me that though I thought I was going in His name, it was really the other way around.  He had in mind to send someone to me and see that I was the least of these.  I was really amazed at God’s greatness.
            We arrived at the orphanage where we would spend the next few days ministering to the children and workers.  We had some time to play with the children briefly before we organized some singing.  I had reached the extent of my broken Spanish and was ready for some organized activity with them that would give my brain a rest.  I sat on a little chair and suddenly, little girl I hadn’t noticed before came right over to me and wrapped her arms completely around my waist.  Amidst the roar of the children’s voices I asked her name and she responded but I couldn’t understand the pronunciation.  We spent the time singing and playing our instruments.  She showed me that her triangle had come undone and I fixed it. She showed me when she traded the triangle for some bells.  When they broke she motioned for me to help her with them too. 
            When the leader had us stand up and follow some motions, I realized that she was as confused as I was.  Suddenly it dawned on me that she was the little girl I had been praying for months—we had separated the children out among us and prayed for them before we met them.   She was the only child at the orphanage who was deaf, and I realized she was confused not by the Spanish instructions as I was, but by the fact that she couldn’t hear them.  I asked another little girl beside me what her name was to confirm my thoughts.
            Of all the people that she could have come to sit by, she came straight to me that first day.  I knew that God had sent her.  He wanted me to see that He is bigger than I could imagine.  He wanted me to see that today it was me who was the least of these and she was being sent to me and blessing Him by obeying His prompting to go straight to me.  I got to feel the wonder of being the least of these and realizing how much it is about God’s love and not about the one going. 
            She showed me that I am the least of these too and that I am very much cared about by a kind, all-powerful and mighty God.  I felt His pleasure in me and my daily prayers for the children He loves.  We are all the least of these and God sent His Son to show us the fullness of His love.  We also have the privilege of going to the least of these and confirming God’s great love.
            What has God sent to you to show you His love for you?  Who has God sent you to go to and share His love?  It’s a worthwhile journey whatever side you find yourself.
Copyright © 2011.  Deborah R. Newman teatimeforyousoul.com.  All Rights Reserved.

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