Culture

Thoughts on the “least of these”

It’s almost synonymous when we hear it. The “least of these” is attached to the poor and broken, those who cannot help themselves.

That’s right, right?

But what people don’t mention is that when you get in someone’s world and you genuinely love them, they’re no longer the “least of these” to you; they’re now your friends, your brothers and sisters, your peers, your family.

And in different ways and at different times, you may be the “least of these” to others.

And that’s why it means so much that God invited us into a family, not a religion, or a structure, or a hierarchy.


I would also add that this is where giving to needs through a church structure can actually be harmful.

Instead of meeting needs face to face and having the opportunity to see, hear, and know a person, we simply meet a need using financial resources on the behalf of an institution called church.

We do this while simultaneously missing the other, deeper needs of connection and value. The needs to be known and loved in relationship through the ups and downs of life with all the good, bad and ugly.

Being known and loved at a distance isn’t really being known and loved in a way that heals or transforms.

If we want to love the least of these, we might start by recognizing that meeting physical needs is critically important, but it is really only the start.