You are one of the "least of these"

Last week we met with all of our teachers, 10 women who pour into over 100 children’s lives daily. Okay, I spend 4 hours at the school with the teacher’s help and I’m exhausted. But these women faithfully serve, faithfully love, faithfully pour into the children’s lives … I look up to them!

Teacher Rebecca at first glance would be thought of as quiet, and that she is. She is a woman of few words but when she speaks you are drawn, not won over by persuasive words but by her deep convictions and love for Jesus. In our meeting she shared the devotional which moved and challenged me:

The Heart of Jesus – Children

“In Mark 9 and 10 we read that Jesus was compassionate for children and often used them to illustrate His own heart. It shows us that without His heart, you will lack in dedication, commitment and putting the life of the most insignificant child about yours, and you will lack the understanding in what Jesus’ heart felt for the children, and His compassion for tomorrow’s generation.

This is the prayer I pray every morning before I go teach:

I will be patient, kind, loving, and tolerant. I will not at any time shout or lose my temper with the children God has put into my care. I will be understanding and put the children first in everything. I will do whatever is necessary to teach the children in exciting and an enjoyable manner, even if it means making a fool of myself. I will not be nervous, but I will be in control and relax and enjoy myself as much as the children do. I understand that I am here to teach to a new generation who will trust in what I say and take it as truth. I will not be threatened in any way by the untamed action of the children under my God given authority. I will be bold and strong in the statements that I make when I know the absolute truth about that subject. I will not raise my hand in any form of anger towards a child but will show only love, even in discipline. I am raising up a strong and powerful children, those who will run ahead of me.”

What about Jesus’ heart for YOU? I've asked myself, “If not us, who will show Jesus to the least of these?”  But then, who are we to even say, “Least of these”? Yes, these kids in the squatter camp may appear as the “least of these” with their bare feet, hungry tummies, dirty clothes, snotty noses, and starving for love grip holds on your legs. But really, that is what my soul is like without Jesus: Bare, hungry, dirty, sick and starving for love. Jesus died for the world, we are all the “least of these”. Jesus became human and entered into our filth and He went beyond that, He BECAME sin. HE BECAME THE “LEAST OF THESE” and He died. PUTTING TO DEATH our bare, hungry, dirty, sick, starving sins and He ROSE AGAIN, bringing His life to fill the void of the emptiness that our souls have always longed for.