Thursday, August 14, 2014

ACE #265: A Stuffed Dog and Some Doritos

Every night before our daughter goes to bed she asks for a "good night snack."  As usual, she asked for her favorite, some Doritos.  Then she asked for a little extra for her little stuffed puppy.  I thought it was funny because I knew she would be eating the extra.  As I was walking out of the room, I heard her offer her dog a Dorito.  When I looked back, she had the chip to the dog's lips.  She told it, "You look a little hungry." It was both hilarious and adorable at the same time. (The dog's name is Sarah, by the way).

It made me wonder about how we, as a society, have gotten away from being generous and kind, particularly to "the least of these".  We see children with dirty clothing and worn out shoes...and we think - that's not our problem or that's not our kid.  We see homeless people...and we walk right by them.  In our minds, we see a scam - and not a need.  Or maybe, we are just too consumed with our own lives to even notice at all.  Our daughter wanted to feed her stuffed puppy.  Imagine if she saw a real puppy that looked hungry.  The lessons we can learn from our children...

Today's challenge:  Look beyond your own circumstance and help a stranger, a person who is down on his/her luck, or even another child in your child's school.  Do something for "the least of these". Then you will know that you are doing something for God.

Matthew 25
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.




Image credit:  patheos.com





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