“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 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; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 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.’” – Matthew 24:34-40
We live in a world where we move from one season to another, and each season of life comes with its ups and downs. In any given season, you will find those living a life of blessings and others a life of challenges. The good news is that those blessed can be a blessing to those challenged.
In Matthew 25, Jesus used a parable to demonstrate his desire for us to be a blessing to one another. In it, he references a time when he will separate the sheep from the goats, or, the righteous from the unrighteous (vs 32-33). The question is, which side are you on?
One of the characteristics of being on the right-hand side of Jesus is related to how well we care for others, especially those in need. As noted in the passage above, when we care for others, Jesus takes it personally. He considers those on his right-hand side blessed and invites them to inherit the kingdom (vs 34-36). This kingdom is not a temporary reward, but an eternal one. The more we are a blessing to the Lord and others, the more we are invited into the kingdom of provision.
How then, can we be a blessing? The answer lies in Jesus’ response to the righteous when they asked, “when did we see you in need (hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or in prison) and care for you? “(vs 37-39). His response, “inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (vs 40), is a powerful reminder that our actions toward others are seen as actions toward him. This personal response from Jesus underscores our value in his eyes and the blessing of having access to the kingdom the Lord had prepared for us. Out of this kingdom will flow our resources to bless others. Let us never forget that God has blessed us to be a blessing to others, and such an action defines us as being righteous – in right standing with God.
Leecroft Clarke,
Director of Pastoral Care Ministry
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