The Least of These

For over twenty years the cross book mark in the photo above has lain in my bible.
It was given to me by an older lady who attended a bible class I was teaching in a former church.
Her name was Mary Christian.

She was a very quiet lady with a soft manner and gentle smile.
She crocheted cross bookmarks and gave them to anyone who crossed her path.

I heard she had left this world to meet her Lord, but not in time to go to her funeral.
I wondered if the question had been asked, how many people there would have raised their hands to indicate they had received one of her bookmarks.
I still think of her almost every day….. her bookmark still blesses me.

“The least of these”…Jesus said. We are so prone to judge by size or monetary value, or prestige.
God doesn’t judge that way…. He says many who hold first place in this world will be last in the next…and those who are last here will be first there. (Matt. 19:30)

Jesus isn’t impressed by the world’s standards….He looks at the heart and looks for sincere offerings.
He sees the offered cups of water…the hand extended to someone in need. and Mary’s bookmarks??


I remember another lady, Eva Marshall. She also is no longer on this earth.
She came faithfully to our bible study, chose her chair and fell asleep until it was time for coffee. She never had anything to contribute and found conversation difficult.
We all wondered why she came.

One day the leader of our group suggested that it would be nice if someone wanted to volunteer to be responsible to get everyone’s address and their birthdays and be in charge of sending everyone a birthday card on their day.
Eva immediately volunteered.
We all looked at each other, embarrassed, not knowing what to do.

The leader glanced around the room, forced a smile and said, “OK, Eva, thank you!!”
We all thought, “There goes that idea!”
We were about 20 people in that group but for the next several years; even long after the group disbanded we each faithfully received a beautiful birthday card on our day …
Eva was faithful …

Let us remember -- to be faithful in the small things is great in the kingdom of God.

“And he said unto him, ‘Well, thou good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities,’”

(Luke 19:17)