You must show compassion

yinka ogunlami

May 11, 2016 12:28 PM

“Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.”

Woman praying

Memory Verse: Matthew 25:45 – “Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.”

The Word for Today devotional by United Christian Broadcasters (UCB) says

Every act of kindness you showed to someone in need, as well as every time you turned a blind eye, you’ll account for when you stand at the judgement (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Jesus will recount them one by one - one deed done to improve the lot of another person, even small ones.

Indeed, everything Jesus mentioned seems small: ‘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’ (Matthew 25:35-36 NKJV).

The early Church father Chrysostom pointed out, ‘We do not hear “I was sick and you healed me,” or “I was in prison and you liberated me.”’ So that does away with the excuse, ‘How could I heal a sick person or liberate someone who’s enslaved?’ Jesus said, ‘I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

These works of mercy are simple deeds, and yet in these simple deeds we serve Jesus.

Astounding, this truth: we serve Christ by serving needy people. Some of them are refugees, or living on the streets. Maybe they have made mistakes or been caught up in circumstances they cannot control.

You cannot help all of them, but you can help some of them! When you do, you serve Jesus. That is what Jesus will talk to you about when you stand before Him one day.

yinka ogunlami