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Day 5: Jesus Takes our Service Personally

Scripture reading for January 16: Matthew 25:34-35 “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 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 welcomed Me, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.” . . vs. 40 “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.'”

To understand His response to hurting people, we must listen to Jesus telling a story about those serving a King. The King is Jesus, the Son of Man, and in a future time He would return in glory with all His angels. He would gather the people from all nations before Him and separate them into two groups, like a shepherd separates sheep and goats. The sheep would be put on His right and commended for their works of faith. The Father would bless them with a full inheritance in the kingdom of heaven prepared for them from before creation of the world!

Those chosen to be on the King’s right hand were commended for helping hurting people, but in a different way. The King told them that as they had fed hungry people, they were in a real sense feeding Him. As they had clothed the naked and visited the sick and imprisoned, they were really clothing Jesus and visiting Him. He taught them the principle that as they offered mercy to weak and hurting people, they were really blessing King Jesus Who Himself had sent them to serve on His behalf.

As responders, we are not serving just ourselves. Our mindset should be that we are under authority and accountable for our service to those over us as well as our Lord Who is with us. We should remember that it is not for money or fame that we serve, but to please our Father will bring eternal rewards. Every call for help is response to our Savior.

Prayer: Father God, help me to remember that as I am called to serve hurting people, I am really serving You. I want to enjoy the blessing of faithful servants. May those I help experience Jesus’ love and compassion through me. Amen.