Matthew 25:40 – And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." (NKJV)

Looking out the front window, I notice that the sky is a lovely shade of blue with many white, fluffy clouds adding to its beauty. However, as I step out the front door in anticipation of a refreshing walk with my dog, Sparky, I am instantly engulfed by a smothering blanket of stultifying humidity. I am totally shocked, and it takes me a few minutes to adapt my breathing to the sudden change from the cool, air-conditioned house to this blast furnace. However, the pained look of desperation on Sparky's face, as I try to pull him back inside, indicates that he is in great need of reaching the green grass on the lawn, so I realize that I must go along with him despite my discomfort.

Finally, I take a deep, determined breath and say, "Okay. Let's go!" I'm sure I'll adjust to the heat in a few minutes.

I make this sacrifice because I love my dog, and I trust the Lord to give me the ability to cope with the humidity. Dogs don't usually smile, though I think he tried, and I can almost sense his audible sigh of relief as he reaches his goal. And the Lord, in His understanding and love, greets me with a cool breeze as I head down the street.

Then a strange comparison suddenly jumps into my mind. The Lord God loved us so much as to be willing to make the huge sacrifice of sending His only Son to die for our sins, because He knew our desperate need. And when we respond in love to the needs of others, even — as I thought in a flight of fancy — even those of our beloved pets, we are obeying His command to love and care for others, even when it might take us far out of our comfort zone, as in my particular situation.

The breeze continued with me as I made my way down The Trail, then safely back into the cool air of my home, without having an asthma attack.

As I lowered myself onto the sofa with a deep sigh of relief, Sparky seemed to understand my efforts on his behalf, and he curled up closely beside me and licked my hand.

As I lay there taking in cool, life-giving breaths, my flight of fancy continued, and I believe that God may have smiled at my revised version of today's Scripture verse that seemed to apply in this situation: "Inasmuch as you have done this act of kindness to even one of the least of my creatures, you have done it unto Me."

May I suggest that if or when you happen to have what you deem a flight of fancy that causes you to honour the Lord in any way, don't discard it as foolishness. Our part, first and foremost and by any and all means, is "that in all things God may be glorified" (1 Peter 4:11b KJV). May this always be our goal.

Prayer: We love You, Lord, and we want our lives, which include all of our thoughts and actions, always to honour and glorify You, that others may come to know Jesus as Saviour. Amen.

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About the author:

Sharon Y. Greer <sygreer11@gmail.com>
Sandycove Acres, Innisfil, Ontario, Canada
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