And the King will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
Reading the red passages in the Gospels, the words spoken by Jesus sometimes terrify me. Previously in this chapter, Jesus describes His return and uses a metaphor comparing believers and nonbelievers to sheep and goats. Sheep, highly valued, will be on the right. Goats go left. The sheep receive the inheritance, the kingdom of God, while the goats are sent to “the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” The image of the eternal fire and the devil feeds right into the fire and brimstone sermons I heard as a youth. Again, they were terrifying. I knew early on that I wanted to be a sheep and not a goat!
But the heart of the message comes after this description of the separation. The sheep are the followers who acted on earth: feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, caring for the sick, visiting the imprisoned. The crowd is understandably confused. They ask, Lord, when did we see you hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or imprisoned? Then the bombshell reply, “... just as you did it to the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you did it to me.” The bombshell is that Jesus is telling his followers then and now to care for ALL humanity. The least of these are the marginalized, the vulnerable, those who look, act, and think differently from us. No more hiding them out of sight, allowing them to die from illness, starvation, or preventable illness, or lack of any basic human needs.
You may not see too many people you would consider “the least of these,” but they are here, and they are all over the world, and our calling as Christians is to care for them however we can.
One part of the worship service at First United Methodist Church of Maryville that I really appreciate is the pastor’s brief message before the offering. He or she shares how our gifts and offerings are used to carry out Jesus’ command to serve others. Whether it’s preparing buckets for UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, or supporting ministries for children and youth or senior adults and their families dealing with dementia, we have many opportunities to support programs that help others in need. We may not be the ones physically doing the work, but our gifts enable others to fulfill their calling. We also have many opportunities to be physically involved in the service of others: Welcome Table, Celebrate Recovery, Vacation Bible School, Go Do projects, DayBreak, the Grace for All podcasts. The list of opportunities goes on and on. It is up to us to take advantage of those opportunities or volunteer our services in other ways.
Maybe it isn’t easy to be a sheep, but it is possible when the Holy Spirit leads and empowers us. After all, no one wants to be a goat.
Heavenly Father, as human beings with all our faults, we know it can be very challenging to follow Your commands. You make it clear what we are to do through the words of your Son, Jesus Christ, and with the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the strength. Sometimes, the only thing lacking is resolve. Please help us remain resolved to do what You would have us do to serve the least of these, both in our community and in the world. Amen.
This devotional was written and read by Pat Scruggs
Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.
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