_"... Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”(Matthew 25: 40)_
An old cobbler felt his faith was growing weak. One winter morning he prayed, “O Lord, please visit me today.” He finished praying with the conviction that God would answer his prayer and would come to his humble shop that day. He started looking frequently out the window, expecting the Lord to arrive any moment. As he was watching he saw his neighbor, an old man, leaning against his shovel, shivering in the cold. He opened the door and called the old man, “Come in and warm yourself with a bowl of soup.” The old man returned to his work sometime later, warmed by the food and drink and by the cobbler’s kindness. Later, the cobbler saw a woman pass by his window, carrying a baby in her arms wrapped in a thin blanket. The baby was crying because of the cold. The cobbler opened his door and called to the woman, “Please come inside, warm yourself and your child.” When the woman came inside, the cobbler gave her a much thicker blanket than the one she had to cover the baby. The woman left a few moments later, warmed by the cobbler’s gift and by his kindness. Scenes like that were repeated several times throughout the day as the cobbler watched and watched for the Lord to come to his humble shop. Night arrived and still he waited. Finally, disappointed, he locked his doors and turned down his lamp. “Lord”, he said, “I prayed for you to come to my shop today but you didn’t.” Suddenly his room blazed with warm light. He heard a voice and knew immediately that it was the Lord’s. “I came, cobbler”, the voice said. “And you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you invited me to your home. I was naked and you gave me clothing - for when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters you were doing it to me.”
Dear friends, the Lord views the kind deeds we do to others as acts of compassion toward Him. Everyday we come across people who are in dire need. Some approach us for help, but many do not. When we get an opportunity to help them, let us do it with all our might and bring glory to the Lord.
*PRAYER*: Heavenly Father, You are a compassionate God who is always concerned of the poor, the forsaken and the aliens. Let me also be kind and compassionate to them. Let me not be hard hearted or tight-fisted, but let me show Your love generously to all who need it. Amen.
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