I read the story one time of an orphanage who had a superintendent who would always pray with his children. When he would ask the blessing, he would bow his head with all the little children in this orphanage, and he would say, “Lord Jesus, we thank you for the food that you have provided. We want you to come and be our honored guest at this meal.”
Well one little fellow had heard that prayer so many times, he finally said, “Why doesn’t Jesus ever come? You always invite Him to be our guest. Will He ever come?”
This superintendent said, “Well, He will come if we really want him to.” This little fellow said, “Well, I’m going to put a chair out for Him.” He put a chair right next to his chair and said, “This chair is for Jesus if He comes.”
Well that same day there was a knock at the door, and they went to the door and there was an old man in rags there who was hungry and shivering and cold. The superintendent said, “Sir, come in and share a meal with us. We’d be glad to have you. Just come in here and sit down and warm yourself. We even have a chair for you. Sit right here.” He put the man in the chair that had been set aside for Jesus.
After this was over, the little fellow looked up at the superintendent and said, “I see it all so clearly now. Jesus couldn’t come Himself, but he sent this man to take his place.” You know Jesus said “If you have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto Me.”
My friends, when we show compassion to others, it is though we are showing it directly to Jesus. A true mark of a person who has been with Jesus is a person who shows compassion. Amen!
– Pastor Rob Pesola