Reason Enough

"Assuredly, I say to you inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of
these My brethren, you did it to Me." - Matthew 25:40 NKJV

Her parents didn't want her, so at birth they placed her in foster
care. Shuffled from place to place, she dreamed of the day they'd
return. It never happened, so in turn, she lashed out at the world by
attempting suicide. Then, through a series of events, she found her
parents again. She lived with them for a while, but things were
strained. When they told her they wanted to adopt a baby and "start
over," she longed to be included. But when she said, "I don't want to
be a burden, so maybe I should go," her dad helped her pack. Cramming
her possessions into a grocery bag, he pressed $10 into her hand and
said goodbye. Today she lives on the streets, sleeps in doorways and
eats from garbage cans. Sadly, her story's not unique. It's been
multiplied into infinity. In fact, there's probably somebody just
like her in your sphere of influence - forgotten, unloved and
isolated. They're usually the hardest to reach because they feel
unwanted and useless. They wrestle with inferiority, poor self-image
and lack of self-respect.

What do we do? Instead of loving them, we label them. Instead of
caring, we criticize. What should we do? Open our hearts. Love is
much more than shaking hands in church. It takes time to develop and
grow. So be gracious. Remember that tough exteriors are more times
than not just cover-ups. Look for new ways to reach out, encourage,
and show hurting people you care. Why? Because Jesus said, "Inasmuch
as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to Me." And
that's reason enough!