A little child

Scripture: "Anyone who welcomes a little child such as this in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me, welcomes not me but the one who sent me." Mark 9:37

Prayer: Keep me vigilant and let my gaze not be hindered by distractions of any kind, including my own personal concerns.

Response: Don't limit yourself to the little child; include in your welcome the forlorn—young and old, those without work and mounting debts, those who have aged almost without remembering how it happened and are vulnerable, the dispirited who linger in sorrow, the anxious whose darting eyes reveal their state, the silent, the weary, and even those who like the Samaritan's of old speak of a different culture and belief.

So you see—and see you must—you will never run out of candidates even if you don't spy a youngster in days. And that should be encouraging to you with the promise delivered in this scripture verse. You are in a sense surrounded by little children to welcome, console, minister to, serve—and all in the Lord's name.

So this day, jot down the little children you encounter and consider in your response if you have passed the challenge of welcome proposed by the Lord as reported by Mark.