Giving the Most to The Least

SCRIPTURE: Matt. 25:37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

OBSERVATION: Just imagine Jesus hungry, needing a place to stay, in the hospital, or in jail and how eager we would be to serve Him. This is the standard Jesus gives us to measure our service to others. We must never forget that when we serve them, especially those devalued and rejected by the world, we are actually serving Jesus Himself.

It is so easy for us to serve those that most like us; those who can reciprocate or repay us in some way. Yet, it is those who will never "pay us back" that God tells us we are most responsible to reach out to. In fact, in the verses that follows these, He suggests that we will be judged by God Himself for refusing to help "the least of these".

APPLICATION/CONFESSION: It is easy for me to serve people who have served me or will help me achieve my goals in life. I have to actively resist the temptation to even think in those terms. My job is to serve everyone God gives me to care for, no matter what I may get back.

PRAYER: Lord, when you call me to serve, help me to see You in them. Help me to remember that it is You, the Lord that I love and have committed all of my life to, that I am caring for when I serve "the least of these". Never let me shy away from them.