Monday, June 25, 2018

Doing to the least of these


            There is a legend that tells about the time when Ireland was ruled by a king who had no sons.  The king desired to have an heir so he sent out his couriers to post signs with a very important message all through his kingdom.  The message advised that qualified young men were being encouraged to apply for an interview with the king as a possible successor to the throne.  However, those who apply must have two important qualifications.  They must (1) love God and (2) love people.
            One young man saw the signs and he knew in his heart that he loved both God and people.  However, he was so poor that he had no clothes that would be presentable to the king and he didn’t have the money to make the long journey to the castle.  The young man begged and borrowed until he at last had the money for the appropriate clothes and to cover the expenses of his trip.
            He had been traveling for a number of days until finally he could see, in the distance, the castle.  Soon he would have his audience with the king.  In the next instant the young man happened upon a poor beggar, sitting alone by the side of the road.  The beggar sat trembling, covered only in rags.  The beggar reached out to the young man.  He barely whispered, “I’m hungry and I’m cold.  Can you help me?”
            The young man was so moved by the needs of the poor beggar that he immediately stripped off his new clothes and exchanged them for the rags of the beggar.  Without a second thought he gave the beggar all his money.  And he helped the beggar up and sent the poor man on his way.
            At first the young man thought he would turn around and go home.  But he was so close to the castle.  And he had no money to get himself back home anyway.  He decided to go ahead and meet the king.
            Surprisingly, he was granted entrance to the castle.  He was escorted to the throne room and it was there that the young man got the shock of his life.  He looked into the eyes of the king and exclaimed, “You…you were the beggar by the side of the road.”  The king nodded his head, “yes.”  The young man asked, “Why did you do this to me?” 
            The king replied, “I had to find out if you do love, if you really love God and people.  I knew that if I came to you as king, you would have been impressed by my crown of gold and my regal robes.  You would have done anything to impress me but I wouldn’t have known what was in your heart.  So I came to you as a beggar, with no claims on you at all.  And I found out by the way you treated me that you do love God and you love people.  That’s what I needed to know.  You, young man, will be my successor.  You will have my kingdom.”
            When I first heard this legend, I couldn’t help by think of what is called the Greatest Commandment in the Bible.  When Jesus was asked this question, he replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
            When you show love to your neighbor, you show your love for God.  When you love God, you show His love to others.  So here’s your assignment for today – love God! Your neighbor will be grateful.

From a "Wake Up With The Word" devotional written in 2012