I was asked to provide the devotional at our Ladies' Christmas party

And this is what I came up with.

Romans 12:10-16(KJV)

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brother love; in hor preferring one another;
11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
14 Bless them which persecute you: bless and curse not.
15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
16 Be of the same mind one toward another.  Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.  Be not wise in your own conceits.

I was going to focus on Proverbs 31, when I was led to this passage.  It got me really thinking; are we, the women of Maranatha Baptist Church, living this?

I started breaking this down to the very basics, because honestly, I deal with small people, and that's what I need.  Simplicity.

So here is what I came up with:

Be nice to everyone, preferring to honor rather than be honored.
Don't be a slacker, let your heart be strong, serve God.
Be happy in the good times, patient in the tough times, and KEEP PRAYING!
Give to those with less, being warm and friendly when you do.
Be kind to meany-heads, don't swear.
Be happy with those who are happy and commiserate with those who are sad.

And then verse 16 hit.  The word condescend really threw me for a loop, until I looked it up.  In this instance, it doesn't mean to look down upon, but to bring yourself down.  Bring. Your. Self. Down.

Which got me to thinking; do we sit up in our ivory towers, or do we truly get down in the trenches serving those who need it most?

Every day on my way to work, I drive by Beans Cafe and Brother Francis Shelter.  I see "the very least of these" and I am reminded that Christ came to save "even these".  How many of us actually take the time to interact with those who have less?

I am reminded of Matthew 10:6 "But go rather to the lost sheep of Israel."  We are commanded to minister to the lost.  To those who might make us uncomfortable.

Jesus didn't hang with the good guys.  He hung with the despised.  Matthew was a tax collector, hello, IRS?  Judas Iscariot sold him out for 30 pieces of silver; and James had quite the temper.  These were not exactly Godly people.  Yet Christ chose to honor them.  Are we doing the same?  Are we choosing to honor those with less?

If you are looking for ways to do this, make a sack lunch and give it to someone.  Put a tract in it.  When you are ready for a new handbag, put some female supplies/hygiene supplies in your old one and give it to someone.  Minister to those with less.  Who knows, you might just be the person who reaches them.

This is my challenge to you - take a look around.  What can you do?  How can you mirror Christ's love to the lowest of the low?.