“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!’” Matthew 25:40
As much as I am impacted by other people’s kindness toward me, I am also deeply impacted when someone shows kindness to someone I love. When someone shows kindness to my parents, my siblings, my niece and nephew, or my friends, I, too, am touched by that kindness. It is almost like someone has treated me with that same kindness. Conversely, when someone is unkind to someone I love, I am quickly offended. It feels almost as if that person has shown that selfishness to me as well. Can you relate? On a much deeper level, Christ teaches this same sentiment. The way we show kindness has a deep impact, and when we show it or do not show it, He feels it.
In Matthew 25, Jesus taught about what things would be like in the end times. Jesus tells them that He, the King, will have two groups of people in front of Him. To the first group, He will say, “I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me” (verses 35-36). In response to this question, these people will say, “When did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?” (verses 37-39). Jesus’ response is clarifying and sobering all at once. He will reply, “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” (verse 40). What is Jesus saying here? When we show kindness to other people and care for them, it is as if we are doing it to Christ. These people will be known as Jesus’ followers because they showed kindness and cared for people around them. The same is true, Jesus reveals next, with those who do not show care and kindness to people around them. “When you refused to help the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you were refusing help to me,” Jesus will say. What a heartbreaking revelation.
In Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 25, He is explaining that Christ’s genuine followers are to be marked by care and kindness toward others. Even more, when we show kindness and care to others, it is just as if we are showing that kindness to Christ. Make no mistake, God cares deeply about our kindness and care towards other people. Let’s honor God by showing kindness to each and every person we know.
Take a few moments today to pray about what you have learned from Matthew 25. I am so happy that we are a part of a church like Sagebrush that takes Matthew 25 very seriously. We reach out to those who are poor by fixing cars through Pit Stop. We visit people in jail, taking our services in each week. We go on mission trips and support missions all over the world. Maybe it is time for you to plug into making a difference through partnering with us. To get plugged in, click the link: sagebrush.church/serve. Confess to God for the times that you have overlooked someone when you could have shown kindness and helped. Ask Him for boldness to show His kindness to everyone whom you encounter.
Read Matthew 25:31-46 (NLT)
“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
“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? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
“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!’
“Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
“And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
“And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”
©2024 Sagebrush Church
