Loving the least of these, right now

After finishing my Bible study this morning, a scroll through social media brought to mind an old neighborhood friend. He was the first kid I met when we first moved to central Kentucky; we were both in the 4th grade. And after 40-plus years, I reached out to him on social media in 2021. We just swapped a couple of messages; he seemed to be doing well, and we drifted apart. This morning, I looked him up again. This morning, after my Bible study, I looked him up on social media. I didn’t see him, but I saw his wife’s profile and snooped it. He wasn’t in any pictures, just her and their kids.

A quick Google search revealed a devastating reality: he is in prison, facing a long sentence. The discovery made me sick to my stomach, driving me to pray for him and his family.

Today’s New Testament reading is Matthew 25. Jesus reminds us to keep watch, invest the talents God has given us, and take care of the poor, outcasts, and prisoners.

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,  you were doing it to me!’
Matthew 25:37-40

I’ve had an idea for a prison ministry project on the back burner for a couple of years. This morning, I’m compelled to go down that path and put it together. Lord, I need help completing projects, using my talents to be more like Jesus, and obeying his commandments, as in today’s verse of the day.

‘This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. ‘
John 15:12