People Matter

People matter. They matter to God. They should matter to us. We, as a society, tend to marginalize certain people groups. I believe we do that with those who seem to have nothing to offer us. Perhaps they are jobless, seem to have limited skills and even less self-worth. We see them dirty and disheveled at the store, as if there is no reason to bathe or dress for the day. We see them, and hear them, and smell them in the Emergency Room after their intoxication led to reckless behavior causing bodily harm to themselves and others. We read about them in the paper. Our tax dollars pay for their imprisonment.  

But, in Matthew 25, Jesus talks about those marginalized people and elevates them to the level of the Son of God. “If you did this to the least of these (hungry, homeless, reckless people) you have done it to ME.” If we really bought into that mentality, that people do matter, how would it change our world? Would our investment in others really change them? Maybe. Maybe not. But one thing is certain. It would change us.

As parents, we tend to protect our children from playing with other children who have no supervision at home. We isolate them from wickedness for their safety. We determine where they will go, who they will build friendships with and what behaviors they need to avoid. That is being a responsible parent. It can be tricky to protect our kids without building in them the mindset that we are better, more worthy and more important to God because of what we do and don’t do.

Jesus said, and Luke recorded, “When someone has been given much, much will be required in return.” That tells me that we aren’t to simply coast through life with the privilege we have… even if we earned every bit of it… and look with disdain upon those who have less… perhaps due to their own choices. Those choices didn’t just happen. They were often preceded by a childhood without good parental care, no moral compass, alcoholism, addiction, neglect or abuse. Children learn best in a situation where they feel safe and loved. Sadly, many children never experience that.

If your children have experienced a safe and loving home where values have been taught, then much has been given to them. Therefore, much is required of them. Right? How involved is your family in ministering to the needs of the child in their class who society would deem “the least of these?” Have you spoken to the teacher about a bad behavior that your child witnessed? There is nothing wrong with that, unless you expect the teacher to single-handedly correct the imprint on the soul of that neglected child.  

What would the world look like if our teachers could pull aside a “least of these” child and tell them that someone noticed how beautiful their smile is and wanted to give them a toothbrush to keep it beautiful. Or perhaps someone noticed they fell asleep in class and thought maybe they needed a new pillow or a warm blanket to help them sleep better at night. Or maybe that they weren’t sharing and wondered if they were clinging to that toy because it was their favorite and they didn’t have one at home so that favorite toy was given to them by a classmate.  I know what you are thinking … What good is it to send things home that will become flea infested and drenched with nicotine and never washed? Perhaps that thought needs to be retired. That single act of loving kindness just might make the difference in the self-worth of a child. Maybe it will begin to chip away at the iceberg of doubt and insecurity that has them in bondage to a crippling hopelessness.

I am not suggesting for one minute that you send your kids to play at the home that you have deemed unsafe or lacking in parental responsibility, however, you could begin to play some part in the life of that child by inviting them to your house. Worried about their negative influence? No need to worry if you are involved in the games and the fun. Don't expect your child to lead them when you are the lead missionary. Be the adult and guide the conversation and activities. Or how about taking them to Dairy Queen after school or being a secret Santa to them. If you were to help your child come up with a random act of kindness toward that child in need once a month it could be life-changing. How might it change your child to watch that transformation take place?

So what if you engage in these loving gestures and don’t see a change in the recipient? Does the giving stop? Do you switch to another child or do you wait and continue to focus on the need of the one who seems to be unreceptive?  That is a question that only God can answer. God has a way of directing us to the need we are to address and He wants YOU to begin to stop the epidemic, not just the epidemic of the social and economic poverty you see, but also the epidemic of entitlement that is growing in our society. Looking out instead of in is the beginning of both of these dangerous trends.

I believe that if you are reading this, you have more than many. You have a smart phone in your hand or a computer in front of you. That puts you in the “those who have much” category. Make sure your kids know that you have been blessed, not because of worth and value, but because of God’s grace and blessings. God wants all children to have that worth and value and He wants us to do the blessing so that they can experience it.