by Rev. Julie G. Hutson
Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. -Matthew 18: 5
When I was in 6th grade my family moved to another state during Christmas break. I remember how very hard it was to get the lay of the land in mid stream. Where to sit at lunch? Who to talk to in the halls? How to fit in.
Jesus reminds us, in this verse from Matthew, that when we welcome the least, we welcome him. In Jesus’ day, children were not valued by society. They were seen as so dependent and vulnerable that they were a drain, rather than contributors.
What we know is that the least and the little and the lost bring the face of Christ to us with their very presence. Let us welcome one another in the name of Christ.