The "Least of the Least"

I went out to dinner tonight with a thai women who houses, supports, and mothers 8 people ranging from 2 1/2 to 26 years of age. They all have some degree of disability but are able to function together in different amazing ways.

As I was sitting there taking in the environment around me I started to think that these people are who we in the West would consider the "least of the least." They have no money, no real possesions to call there own,and and most of them have no future if I am being honest. They are sick an unable to get the proper care that could change their lives.

But as I sat there and interacted with each of them I became really convicted and humbled.

No, they dont have money or a home to call their own. No they dont have a "regular" family and parents that love them. No, they might not ever get to experience life the way we think all people should experience life.

In that sense its easy to say they are the "least of the least."

But that is wrong. Its just wrong. Because this group of people are more rich in spirit than most the people I know living in the States. They are smiling and they are happy with the life they have been given. How many of us can say that about our lives?

As I rode home from dinner I really had to think hard about this. Who are we to decide that these people should be dubbed the least of the least?

I know I am treading in deep water here, and I know that the impovershed and sick truly do need a chance, an opporunity to make their lives better. Ive been living with the "least of the least" for nearly a year now. In no way am I trying to belittle the horrible struggles they go through and experience day in and day out.

I think what I am trying to get at is that these people live in such horrible circumstances yet they are so rich in spirit and happiness. But we belittle their massive hearts by saying they are the "least of the least" and they need our help to improve their lives.

When really, we in the West should be calling ourselves the "least of the least" when it comes to anything outside of the material world. We have nearly no spirit or happiness. We are so caught up in all the material crap that we cant see we need to change our hearts before we can really make a difference in anybody elses. We go into a developing country thinking to ourselves, "we have to make their life better, we have to make their life more happy," and just turn a blind eye to the fact that we ourselves need the most help.

We have become a people who would rather try to fix other people's lives instead of starting with ourselves. It so much easier to want to change someone elses life than acknowledge the problems we harbor in our hearts.

When we as a people can say honestly that we are poor in spirit and need help, we will know that the world should be ready for a beautiful change. But when that time will come, I have no idea.