Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. – Matthew 25:40
Reading Jesus’ words above, we can easily sense how He ties Himself so closely to the hurting, the overlooked, and the struggling that He takes it personally.
“You did it for Me.”
Reading through the Gospels, I notice something about Jesus. He never seemed to walk past a real need with indifference. If a blind man cried out, He stopped. If a leper knelt in front of Him, He touched him. If a hungry crowd followed Him into the wilderness, He fed them. If a guilty sinner wept at His feet, He forgave her.
Jesus didn’t heal everyone in Israel. But He never ignored the need right in front of Him.
Me? I can ignore a need pretty easily. I can be in a hurry, or be conveniently distracted. I can convince myself someone else will take care of it. And I can even spiritualize it – “I’ll pray for them” -and keep right on walking.
But Jesus challenges us to step into that moment.
The tired waitress who looks like she hasn’t slept for a week.
The lonely old man who lives by himself across the street.
The beggar who smells like he hasn’t showered in a month.
The single mom whose driveway is still covered with snow.
Those aren’t interruptions, but opportunities. And Jesus says, “whatever you do for them – you do for me.”
When I was at my most desperate… lost, blind to my own sin, lonely and afraid – Jesus didn’t walk past me. He didn’t say, “I’m too busy today, someone else can take care of him…” Jesus stepped in. He forgave me. He reconciled me to the Father. He met my deepest need, at the cost of His own life.
How can I receive that kind of mercy, and yet withhold mercy from others?!
I think it would good for me to think about Matthew 25:40 more often than I do. And not just think about it, but do my best to live it.
Former Blackout Artist 