SHARE GOD’S LOVE

On that great day of judgment, a man found himself standing before the Lord. As he waited in line, he started to feel uneasy. He overheard the Lord speaking to those in front of him: “Enter, for I was hungry, and you gave me food.” To another: “Come in, I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.” And to yet another: “You visited me when I was sick.” Our friend inched forward, growing more and more discouraged. He thought, “I haven’t done any of those things”. His heart sank as he realized his life didn’t seem to measure up to these high standards.

Finally, it was his turn. He looked up at the Lord, expecting disappointment, maybe even judgment. But the Lord’s face shone with kindness, and He looked at the man with a knowing smile and said, “Like you, I was once dejected and downcast, and you lifted my spirit. I was depressed, and you made me laugh.” With arms wide open, the Lord said, “Come, you blessed of my Father!”

Friends, sometimes we think God’s work is only about the big things—the charity, the mission, the sacrifice. But God doesn’t just look at what you do; He looks at the heart behind it. He looks at the unique way you bring His love into the world. Maybe you’re not able to feed the hungry or heal the sick, but you have the gift of a warm smile, a listening ear, or the ability to make someone laugh when they’re feeling low.

The Bible says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others” (1 Peter 4:10). Don’t discount what you’ve been given. God has placed a unique gift inside of you, and when you share that gift, you are sharing God’s love in a way only you can. It may seem small to you, but God sees the love and spirit behind it.

So, keep being that light, keep sharing those smiles, keep lifting others with your unique gifts, knowing that in the end, they will lead you into the embrace of our Savior, who treasures every one of them. They will lead you to hear those words we all long to hear: “Come, you blessed of my Father.”

Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan
November 17, 2024