love the overlooked

I was reading an excerpt from a Max Lucado book today and he referenced Matthew 25:40. I've heard it and/or read it hundreds of times since I was kid - at least in KJV or NIV. "...whatever you did for one of the least of these...". Lucado quoted The Message version which reads this way "...whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me."
I'm not sure why it made a huge difference for me to see the words "overlooked or ignored" but it really grabbed my heart like never before.
I am privileged, for reasons I'll never understand, to be the person to whom students are drawn who sometimes have a hard time fitting in with the typical high school crowd. I love them like crazy but sometimes I don't count their wanting my attention as a blessing. Sometimes I let my impatience, my pride or simply my desire for all the other things I could be doing with my time override my compassion.
When I read these words from The Message and thought of some specific students and, in general, all of the people out there who feel overlooked or ignored it made my heart ache!
I was prompted to make a couple of little cards (one for my car, one for my office) that read "Love the Overlooked". I know it takes far more than a cute sign to change my dumb flesh - it takes a move of God's spirit in me and I am challenged to spend time every day praying and thinking about how I can bless the overlooked ones that cross my path.
I pray that Jesus will stir my heart to remember these words - His words - the next time I feel like my time is "too valuable" for someone who might otherwise be ignored or overlooked!
Matthew 25:40 (MSG)
"...whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me."