Matthew 25:35-40 (NKJV)
35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
Jesus told us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Here, He is describing what it looks like to do so. Sometimes, we go through our day not noticing the people with whom we come in contact. We pay attention to the important people but the rest seem to just pass by unnoticed. How about the server in the restaurant? Did you notice them? What was their name? What kind of day were they having?
Jesus is telling you that every person is important and you should care for them all. Jesus spoke to those on the margins of society that were not people of influence and these fisherman, tax collectors, prostitutes and other sinners took His message to the four corners of the world. He went to the little people to make sure they understood that they mattered to Him. If we only care for the influential, the rich, those who can do things for us, of what merit is that? If these people mattered to Jesus, shouldn’t they matter to us?
In a conversation with our son, I told him that I am trying to raise him to be a contributing, productive member of society. I not only want him to take care of himself but I want him to look out and care for others. I want him to fight for the weak ones and stand up for justice and mercy. I want him to care for the least of these. Some have called that paying it forward. What do you call it? Is this something you want to undertake? Do you think it will improve our corner of the world?
Mother Theresa had a poem called Anyway on the wall of her home in Calcutta. It was written by Keith Kent and it is worth reading. Here is an excerpt from that poem which helps clarify the steps we should take.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.
http://www.paradoxicalcommandments.com/
In the end, it is all between us and our God. If we do things for the least of these because our Lord asks us to do so, how will we be greeted when we arrive before Him? Will He be proud of us? Will He say “Well done good and faithful servant”? I think so. You are well able! Do good anyway!
Lord, please lead us to the people to whom you wish to speak through our lives today. Let our words be Your words. Guide us to be your hands and feet. Help us to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with You this day and every day. Amen!