By Pastor Mark Moreno

Caring and Tending

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

We see them everyday when we leave the house and head to work, school, church, or wherever! The homeless. The indigent. The overlooked. Today’s image offers a familiar glimpse into this reality, as we see an image of a man with a ratty cardboard sign standing off to the side of a long line of cars.

What do you do when faced with this scenario? Most of the time, I admit to my own shame, I simply ignore them and pretend not to see them. Isn’t that horrible? I mean, it is a human being worthy of dignity and respect, but because of my own discomfort, I recede into a make-believe world.

In those moments, I fail to heed the words of Jesus and follow where He is leading. In Matthew 25:41-45, we read,

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,  I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’”
English Standard Version

Jesus’ ministry is filled with caring and tending to the overlooked. They are in plain sight: The homeless, the widowed, the poor, the immigrant, the ill, and the list goes on. There is tremendous need and yet many of us simply look the other way. That is simply not acceptable.

Today I want you to take a challenge: Pray about how God can use you to help the overlooked. Then get together with a friend or family member and develop a plan for how you can share the love of God in mercy to the overlooked. Maybe it is getting together some food items or hygiene items and giving them to the homeless. Maybe it is donating clothing to a men’s or women’s shelter. Maybe it is talking with your pastor and seeing how your church can be more active serving the overlooked.

There are times WE feel overlooked too. Thanks be to God that He not only watches over us, but He cares for us. He does the same for the “other overlooked” people! One of the ways He cares for them is through US. Never forget that God has called you to follow Him and to serve both our God and our neighbor.

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado