The Least of These

He was a career criminal.  Drug possession, home invasion, armed robbery, jail time.  He was 6’6, big, a frightening man who forced his way into a woman’s home where he and his accomplices robbed and beat her.

He did jail time, tried to change his life around, mentored others with bible study.  But he died with serious drugs in his system, and was arrested for committing a minor crime.

Surely he was not irredeemable.  But to the extent that any of us can say we are “good” he was the least of us.

Why did Christ say this:
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Why did he equate himself with them?  Here’s who they are:

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 

Are we to raise up one another?  We are a brotherhood, and a chain of humanity.  Each link must pass through the gates of Heaven.

When one of us is weak, we are all no stronger than the least of us.  Every person has greatness in him.  Some of us don’t show that until their last moments, with their dying breath.

Martyrs are often despised by their neighbors.  

The least of us is reason for all of us to call on humanity to raise up our standards, calling for decency and justice in our government, our police, and our people.

Christ held himself to no lesser standard, and he asks that of you and me.  He holds himself equal to each brother.

As we mourn for a fallen brother, let us also cry for the loss of justice in our world.