The Last & Least

Our name, The Last & Least, is a reminder of the posture exhibited by those who live in God’s Kingdom. We find in 1 Peter 5:6–7,

“[6] Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, [7] casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

Now we see through these words, as well as the words of Christ Himself, that humility is for now and exaltation is for later. All of our anxieties, worries and problems can be cast upon Christ. Why? Because he cares for us. Humbling ourselves means looking outside of ourselves; knowing that God is God and we are not. This way of thinking helps us realize we don’t have to be first in the race of life or have it all together. What matters is running our own course, which looks different for everyone. You and I don’t have to earn all the success, honor, prestige or possessions in order to be somebody. It is Jesus who makes us somebody. He makes us sons and daughters. He gives us forgiveness. He makes us brand new. He makes us like Himself.

The Last & Least includes writings meant to point Believers toward a Kingdom perspective for everyday life. By Kingdom, we mean God’s Kingdom. And by everyday life, we mean honoring God in doing your taxes. Taking a pop quiz. Fighting traffic. Feeding your baby at 3 a.m. Earning a living to support a family. Choosing who your friends are – and are not.

Thousands of everyday occurrences are thousands of opportunities to honor God with a perspective and response that is other-worldly. It’s a lens through which we see our loved ones and strangers. It effects the way we handle good and bad situations. It works itself out in our pocketbooks. It colors our world with purpose and meaning. It’s seeing the world in a new way.

It’s for this reason that this devotional was started. We have a tendency to lose focus and become distracted by a world that pulls in every direction. God’s Word centers us on a foundation that is unshakeable. In John 18:36, Jesus states before Pilate, “My Kingdom is not of this world…My Kingdom is from another place.” We belong to that Kingdom – one that is here and is still to come. One that serves the least among us. One whose subjects are happy to put ourselves last. That’s because our Kingdom is not of this world.

But it’s on the way…