“God Bless the Thrift Cottage”

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’…” Matthew 25:34-40

Recently a homeless man came to the Thrift Cottage. He was not the typical visitor who comes through the door. He was penniless, unkempt, and he was wearing soiled, worn-out clothing. Instead of ignoring him or asking him to leave, the volunteers saw him as someone who is created in the image of God. And so, they treated him as one of the “least of these” that Jesus talks about in Matthew 25.

The volunteers engaged this person in conversation, and they helped him to find clean clothing that he could wear. Then they gave him the clothing for free.

Jesus tells us that when we respond to the needy in this way, we will be considered “blessed by my Father”.

Of all the countless ministry projects that the Thrift Cottage has generously and graciously supported, this is the one that I am the proudest of as your pastor. God bless the Thrift Cottage.

In Christ,

Pastor David