We should be ashamed of ourselves

"My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism...Listen my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him? But you have insulted the poor." James 2:1, 5-6b

There is a dear sweet little lady at my church who lost her husband a while back. She seems lost without him and often wanders aimlessly around the halls trying to find somewhere to "fit in". Most of the members either shun her or are shallow in their concern for her trying to find a way to get away as quickly as possible. I know that church is her only outlet for interpersonal communication with the world outside her home. It would seem as though we would welcome her and tend to her needs. I know that sometimes it is hard to deal with people, elderly or not, who seem to have lost the ability to function inside of our social mores. We should pray for them and treat them with as much respect and dignity as those greatest among us, especially if they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus said "he who is least among you all-he is the greatest." (Luke 9:48) We should reach out to the poor and down-trodden who cannot seem to tend to themselves. And we should be ashamed to use the same tongue to praise the Lord and then speak meanly about someone or insult them whether it is to their face or behind their back. May God have mercy on our souls for the world sometimes overtakes us and we fall prey once again to the meanness and sin that surrounds us.