#10 – The Best Thing that Happens (I Get it Now!)

We who are followers of Jesus make it our highest aim to please Him in all we do.

Therefore, we pay close attention to the things He told us
about what brings joy to Him.

We've all heard that Jesus said,
“Whatever you’ve done for the least of these, you’ve done for Me.”

And we know that by “least of these”,
He was referring to people who are sick, hungry, poor and in prison
-- people on the fringes of society.

So, bottom-line, those of us who truly want to please Jesus
must make it a priority to care for people
who are weak,
hungry,
imprisoned
or poor,
or have illnesses
or disabilities.

For He told us that when we do,
we welcome Him... and we give Him joy.

On the surface,
this principle is much easier to understand than many other things Jesus said.
"Do this... and you can automatically check this off your list as well."

Seems simple.

But I confess that, despite the apparent simplicity,
I never really "got" this
until my youngest niece,
The Princess,
was diagnosed with cerebral palsy,
and I saw, with brand new eyes, the public's reaction to people with disabilities.

It goes without saying...
The Princess occupies a rather prominent place in my heart.

I love her so much that
she's impacted my heart,my work, my relationships, my goals, my life
more deeply than any other single individual
... and that's saying a great deal.

So...
when someone makes disparaging remarks
about people with intellectual or physical disabilities,
it feels like they're making demeaning comments about The Princess herself.

They'd never dare to demean my niece in my presence,
but their actions and attitudes toward others with disabilities
tell me exactly how they'd respond to the little girl I love so much.

And when they display harsh or dismissive attitudes toward the little girl I love
...they might as well express the same kind of attitude toward me.

At the same time,
my heart is naturally drawn to those who value people with disabilities.
If people love others with severe disabilities,
they'd also love and accept The Princess
... and that also feels like they'd love and accept me.

It all feels very personal.

So I get it now when Jesus says,
"Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for Me."

He loves each of us intensely,
with an everlasting love.

And He has an especially soft heart for those whose lives are hard,
who live on society's edge.

In fact, Jesus loves them so much that,
when we accept or reject them,
He takes it personally.

Whatever we do for the "least of these",
we do for Him.

Despite my slowness to grasp it,
it really is that simple.

So... let's welcome them.

Let's accept them.

Let's love them.

For when we do,

we welcome,

accept

and love Him.

And we give Him joy!

--Reenie

I Have a Dream

I have a dream…
that every child
regardless of ability or disability
will be welcomed
and will find a place to belong
at their neighborhood Bible-teaching Church.

I have a dream
that every child who can’t walk smoothly
will have a friend to lean on
or to push his wheelchair
so he can enter fully into the life of his church family.

I have a dream
that every child who can’t reach out her hand
will have a hand reached out to her
so she’ll know she’s accepted in the body of Christ.

I have a dream
that every child who can’t participate in a full Bible lesson
will have a lesson designed for him,
a lesson he can fully enjoy.

I have a dream
that every child who cannot speak
will be spoken to
and will be included in conversation
and in other children’s play.

I have a dream
that every child who cannot hear with her ears
will be taught stories and songs
in a language she can hear.

I have a dream
that every child who cannot sing
will enjoy the sound of others’ singing
and will praise God in his own way.

I have a dream
that every child whose hands cannot clap
will have friends who clap with her
and for her.

I have a dream
that every child who cannot run
will play games with his friends
and will have friends who cheer what he can do.

I have a dream
that every child who cannot cooperate or pay attention
will be loved and cherished
no matter what.

I have a dream
that every child who cannot see the pictures of the Bible story
will see very clearly that Jesus loves her
because she has been shown love by those who love Him.

I have a dream
that every child who doesn’t learn in the typical way
will learn about Jesus and His love for her.

I have a dream
that every child who doesn’t move in the typical way
will move into full belonging in the family of God.

I have a dream
that every child who doesn’t grow in the typical way
will grow in his or her relationship with Jesus Christ.

I have a dream
that every child
no matter how intelligent or delayed
oppositional or compliant
athletic or motor-challenged
healthy or frail
will know Jesus loves him or her
and that He died for him
for her.

I have a dream
that everyone in the community outside the church
will know they too will be welcomed
and accepted
in their local church family
because they have seen the church obey Christ’s command
to love and accept
all those who are
“the least of these”.

I have a dream...

I have a dream.

© Laureen F. Guenther, 2006