Serving the Least Really Means Serving Jesus
Daily Scripture
Matthew 25:31-40
31 “Now when the Human One [or Son of Man] comes in his majesty and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his majestic throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them from each other, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right side. But the goats he will put on his left.
34 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who will receive good things from my Father. Inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world began. 35 I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. 36 I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’
37 “Then those who are righteous will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and give you clothes to wear? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.’
Daily Reflection & Prayer
People without enough to eat or wear, who can’t afford good (or any) care if they’re sick, who are in prison, who are outsiders—most of us are willing to do a little something to help “them.” Yet Jesus called that group of people “the least of these brothers and sisters of mine.” Joining Jesus redemption of the world means seeing that Jesus called us to love all of our neighbors, not just what we might consider the “upper crust,” as one human family, serving them as he did.
- In Jesus’ story, the “sheep” he said had helped him were surprised: “When did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink?” They saw need, not a chance for reward. What can help you learn to see in the faces of the people you meet, especially the outcast or hurting, the face of Jesus? When have you felt the freedom and joy that comes from blessing others because you know God cares about them?
- Resurrection has big goals about specific ways we aim to change the world by 2030 (click here to view them). But what about you—what are your goals to change the world? In what specific ways can you personally join in Christ’s purpose, at Resurrection or elsewhere, to change the world for the better? In prayer invite Jesus to fire your imagination and give you big dreams. Write or print those God-given dreams and put them where you will see them often.
Prayer
O God, keep my eyes and my heart open to see your face in the faces of hurting people around me who need your touch through me. Amen.
GPS Insights
Kaitlin Green
Kaitlin Green, who served as a Public Relations intern at Resurrection for two summers, wrote today's Insights in June, 2023.
During my freshman year at the University of Missouri, a fellow freshman friend of mine spoke constantly of dropping out. Many of our mutual friends understandably kept their distance from her negativity. I tried to be as kind and as patient as possible because I could only imagine the battles she was fighting behind closed doors.
To my surprise, she returned from winter break that year much more enthusiastic about school and activities than she had ever been before. Unlike first semester, she was truly living her life. It wasn’t until months later that I learned something that shocked me: my friend credits me as the reason she chose to stay in school. It’s a statement that confounds me to this day because I feel I don’t deserve it—I did nothing other than treat her as I would hope to be treated.
When we read Scripture that tells us we serve Jesus by serving others, I think our minds tend to drift towards big gestures and acts of labor. And while this most definitely counts as service, our reach doesn’t stop there. We continuously serve others by being the light of Christ in their lives: by smiling, by listening, by caring. We serve others by bringing kindness and positivity into their lives. We serve others by exuding the joy that God has gifted us with.
As I have witnessed, this creates not only a better space for the people we surround ourselves with but also a lasting impact in their hearts. We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus here on Earth, and the simplest and most constant way of doing that is by treating others with the love that He would have. And while, often, we will never truly know the extent to which our kindness goes, we can trust that God is using our service to transform lives.
