The Least of These

If you'd have asked me a month ago what draws me to certain ministries, relationships, people - I'd have likely said something about a sense of compassion or call to 'the least of these' (Mt. 25)


But my trip to Winnipeg as a team leader for an inner city service trip revealed something to me... I am the 'least of these.' I'm drawn to people I can identify with. I'm most comfortable around those who are broken and unashamed, and I'm least comfortable in situations where the expectation is that we all have our act together and we don't let anyone see the cracks in the facade. So, while there's compassion no matter what, its not so much about being drawn to people for missional reasons as it is about looking for people to identify with. It is so freeing to be around people who don't expect certain behaviours and patterns. I love being in that space, and long to create more of those spaces around me. (my kids would love for me to have fewer expectations!!)


There's a theological twist to this revelation; I used to believe God had randomly acted in my life, my sisters lives, because of His love and our need... period. We'd been identified by his spiritual radar system as helpless and needy, so He helped. So, it makes sense that I identified my own offering of compassion and love in a similar way...


Its not so much like that, though.


Jesus was the 'least of these', too. He was also just being with the people who were most like him and not welcomed by those who thought they had it all figured out. And so His presence and action are most obvious in the places where He can identify with broken, rejected people, and they can identify with Him. And its least obvious in places when the priority is on being put together, successful.


Do you want to meet Jesus? Go to the places where what we define as 'success' is least evident. He's there already.