We shower daily, while others bathe in dirty rivers occasionally.
We eat three meals a day, plus unneeded snacks, while others starve.
We sleep warm and soundly while others can never rest.
We have closets filled with unworn clothing, while others wear all they have each day.
We have extended families, while others live alone.
We own homes, sometimes more than one, while others are homeless.
We enjoy safety, while others live with death, war, and violence daily.
We work or change jobs, while others beg for minimal survival.
We travel extensively and freely, while others live their whole lives where they were born.
We attend schools and continuing education, while others suffer illiteracy.
We make and protect retirement plans, while others die far too early in poverty.
We have extensive medical systems, while others have no health care and die early.
Unlike millions around the world, we are inordinately blessed, tempted to assume our rights to these gifts, even to fighting for them, and frequently misusing these privileges which are on loan from God. (PETE HAMMOND)
In Matthew 25:31-46, the righteous weren’t even aware they’d been compassionate and that they were serving Jesus, because it was a natural outflow of their faith. They weren’t trying to earn their way to heaven; they were just doing what Christians do. That’s because people saved by God and changed by God start loving what God loves and doing what God does. A big part of that is responding to those in need—not to gain heaven because we have heaven; not to get saved because we are saved. The point of Matthew 25:31-46 is not to scare people into serving the poor, but that serving the poor is a significant part of what it means to love God and love others. (EAGLE BROOK CHURCH)
Here are some questions to ask yourself:
• Who are the least of these in your community?
• How do you serve the poor, the sick, and the imprisoned?
• Is it duty-bound, or is it a natural outflow of your faith?