I had the privilege of serving as a counselor in a camp called Royal Family Kids Camp this past week. This is a camp for children who have been abused and neglected. These children's stories bring about a combination of rage and hurt to my heart. Rage toward the person who has done these awful things and hurt for the children. In many ways these kids have been made 'the least of these' because their earthly parents have let them down.
As I am getting settled back into the work of pastoral ministry, I am looking around the landscape of the church in general and am appalled. We are so obsessed with petty politics and church turf wars that 'the least of these' go anywhere but church for acceptance, love and approval. While the church is fighting over worship style and what color to put in the sanctuary these children never hear about their Heavenly Father who will never leave, or forsake them.
This comes into sharp focus as the church I serve engages in ministries to children, including children with special needs. The stories of parents being told that they and their 'normal children' are welcome but their 'other' child has to stay home make me sick.
My prayer for anyone reading this is that we, as the faithful church of Jesus Christ, would take our disgust for the church's behavior and turn it into energy. Energy to get over ourselves and truly serve those the world calls 'the least of these.' Not so that they can fill our coffers or pews but so that they might know the love of a God:
who did not consider His own God-ness something to be used to his own advantage;7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness.8 And being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross!
(pastor Bill translation in italics) (Philippians 2:7-8)
May we, like Christ, empty ourselves so that 'the least of these' may be filled. Filled with the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ with the love of their Heavenly Father. So that in the church little boys can be Kings and little girls can be Queens, clothed in His majesty!
