The Least of These…

Hopefully this will be relatively short.  Often when I’m not sure what to write, I bust out with a short novel.  I’ve just got a few thoughts on a couple biblical definitions of the least of these today.  

First, my wife and I watched Prince Caspian for the first time last night.  At the end of the movie, we both broke down and cried.  My wife had literal tears, and I had to be the man and keep them inside… This movie, probably more-so than any recent movie, struck a nerve.  In particular, both of us were taken aback by the startling picture of life with God the film-makers, with the aid of a great author, painted.  The entire movie seemed to progress rather quickly, possibly implying a sense of impatience the “Son’s of Adam” dwell in (and not just the characters in the book).  As the story began to unfold, I saw one of the least of these  hidden within the character of Lucy.  Her only desire was to be with Aslan again, but there were some other voices drowning her deepest longings.  Sound familiar?  ”If any of you cause one of (the least of these) these little ones to stumble, it would be better for you to have a millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.”  Hitting close to home yet?

As the movie continues, and Lucy finally finds Aslan, he asks a haunting question; “Why didn’t you come to me?”  And Lucy’s response… I was afraid to come alone.  Wow!  Anyone else afraid to go to God alone?  Anyone else listen to the other voices around you more than your heart?

And the scariest part about the whole movie is the end.  As the four are leaving Narnia, Peter says that he and Susan will not be coming back, they are getting too old.  I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m not ok with getting too old for God.  What is frightening is that I think C.S. Lewis may be onto something.  I don’t want to lose my innocence when it comes to my relationship with God.  I have a feeling that’s what Jesus was talking about when he charged, “Unless you are like one of the least of these, you will not inherit the kingdom.”

I am always astonished at God’s hand in the small things as well.  This morning as I began my morning in scripture, I ran across this passage.

Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?”

The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

So, to sum up yet another blogging novel… Let us keep our eyes fixed on our Creator.  May we hold onto our innocence as we strive for absolute purity (not only sexually, rather the purity that comes when our sole purpose is to be with God) and reality in our relationship with Him.  Let not the voices of this world keep us from following our God.  My he give us the courage to look for him alone in the dark forests of life.  Most of all, we must open our eyes to the least of these.  We must get rid of the distractions that keep us from our fixing our eyes on God.