Reaching out to Those Around us

Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.  –Matthew 18:4, 5 (NKJV) 

If you are affected by the snowy weather today, which is gripping the eastern half of the country, I hope you are able to stay home and remain safely inside.  As I reflect on today’s weather, I recall in years past when our sons were much younger and what would happen at our house when schools were closed due to snow.  At some point in the day a number of kids would come by and they would all go sled riding on the hill behind the church.  They would play in the snow for hours and then come back to our house to dry off and get warm.  I recall that we would have as many as a dozen kids at a time showing up here at the parsonage cold and wet from playing in the snow.  

That scenario might throw many people into confusion, but Andrea and I always welcomed all of those children into our home.  Andrea would gather their wet coats, hats, and gloves and put them in the dryer, and we would start making hot chocolate for everyone.  I have wonderful memories of these children as they sat at our table, laughing and drinking hot chocolate.  After they were warm they would put on their coats, hats, and gloves and go back outside and play some more.  We see many of those kids from time to time, and most of them are nearly grown.  I hope that they will look back fondly on those times when they came by and enjoyed those snowy days.

Jesus said that when we welcome a little child that it is just like welcoming Him.  When we reach out in Jesus’ name to those around us we are fulfilling the Lord’s command that we go and be His witnesses in the world.  We will be blessed because we are doing the Lord’s will, but we are further blessed because we are making a positive difference in the lives of others.  Anytime we show the love of Jesus we are planting seeds of the gospel in the hearts of others.  Keep planting those seeds in abundance, for the Lord will send others to water them so that a harvest of faith will then take place. 

Take time to show Jesus’  love in any way possible.  In doing so we are making a difference in peoples’ live that will count for all eternity.