Matt 25:⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’   ⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’  ⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’   ⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

This is one of my favourite passages in the Bible.  Here we have Jesus speaking to his disciples and telling them how we all need to look after each other.  Who exactly are ‘the least of these’?  They are the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless, someone who needs clothes, the sick and imprisoned.  My opinion is that ‘the lease of these’ are my brothers and sisters in Christ who are going through a hard time and are in need.

This passage is the essence of our Christianity, the ability to help ourselves when in need.  Jesus says that if He had needs and no one helped Him, then in as much as we don’t help ‘the least of these’, we have done it to Him.  Jesus the merciful, compassionate and gracious God.

Jesus equated service to the needy with heavenly eternal reward or eternal punishment.  It is as if He is giving us a choice and an opportunity to redeem ourselves while we are still alive and on earth.  Thank you Lord.    

As Christians, Jesus wants us to be our brothers keeper and help the needy amongst us, if they are hungry, homeless, sick, imprisoned, thirsty, needy in various ways.  He is concerned about the needy amongst us and does not want us to go around not noticing each other.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to meet someone’s needs because you have needs of your own.  Over the years, walking this Christian walk, my take is, if the Holy Spirit has put it in my mind to help or bless someone, that means to me that that person’s needs are bigger than mine and so I extend that hand of love and help out.

PRAYER POINTS: Lord, help me to love like you; Lord help me to see the needs to people that you want me to be a blessing to; Lord help me to be more compassionate in Jesus name.