Devotional 6-8-18

“Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.’ --Matthew 24:40

This spring I had something of a dilemma. I like to feed the birds in my yard. I have a couple of squirrel proof (ha!) feeders, a sunflower feeder, a peanut feeder (please, dear squirrels, eat the peanuts and leave the bird seed for the birds (ha!), a hummingbird feeder and a suet feeder. The suet usually attracts sweet little woodpeckers which I love to watch. 

But recently, a flock of starlings were attracted to the suet. This gang of large, black birds swooped in making all kinds of noise and actually fought each other for the goods. They could devour a single suet cake in 24 hours.

I considered not replacing the suet, although I didn't want to deprive the woodpeckers and "pretty" birds. Then I recalled something my Mother always said when I'd complain about the squirrels and deer helping them selves to my birdseed and flowers, "Well, they're God's creatures too."

The "least of these" scripture popped into my head. Jesus tells us to help all our brother and sisters. Not just the beautiful, well-mannered ones, who look and act like us, but the loud and dirty, the socially unacceptable who make us uncomfortable. We are called to minister to the starlings as well as the cardinals and blue birds.

I continued to replace the suet cakes and the starlings eventually went on their way, but every time I refill the holder, I think of "the least of these." It's a good reminder!

Anita Gardner Farrell