Matthew 25:40
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
What is done to even one of the least of Christ's brethren is counted as done to Christ himself, because he identifies his interests with theirs and is present in them.
The King who answers is Christ himself as King and Judge and Son of Man, speaking with exalted authority as judge of the universe.
The words belong to the final judgment when he comes in glory with all the holy angels, sits on the throne of glory, gathers all nations, and separates the righteous sheep on the right from the wicked goats on the left.
Feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, caring for the sick and visiting the imprisoned is ministry done to him and is the reason he welcomes the righteous to inherit the kingdom.
The righteous do these acts from love without realizing they serve him and without seeking reward, and their humble surprise shows kindness as natural fruit of rooted principle.
Wording and Discourse Setting
The saying declares that whatever is done for one of the least of his brethren is done for him, with the word expressing that service to even the least and most vulnerable counts as service to Christ himself. Kindness to the least and most disadvantaged, feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming and sheltering the stranger, clothing the naked, caring for the wounded, visiting the sick, coming to those in prison and defending them, is counted as done directly to him, and the needy stranger is thus revealed as the Saviour. The righteous are welcomed to inherit the kingdom prepared for them because they performed this care, while love to him is the motive that gives even small humble deeds their worth and an outwardly good act done from selfishness or to earn eternal life has no value, since service from gratitude does not earn the reward but eternal life is given through love. In the judgment the record of good deeds is examined in the Father's presence and the saints pronounced innocent, their sins blotted out before priestly work ends and made immortal before standing before him, when their good deeds are recounted and reward received rather than a decision about saved or lost.
The one who answers is the King himself, Christ as King and Judge and Son of Man, separating the nations and addressing those on his right with exalted authority as judge of the universe in the day of recompense. Treatment of his brethren is the basis of his verdict, distinguishing the sheep who inherit the kingdom from the goats who are condemned, and judging people in relation to how they treated the least. Speaking as judge on the final day he calls the redeemed his little brothers, revealing oneness with humanity and the Father's love making believers sons of God, so the Father places his hand on every redeemed soul in acceptance as beloved son receiving riches, power, immortality and all riches of grace.
The verse belongs to the long prophetic discourse of Matthew 23, 24 and 25, one of the longest discourses preserved, fullest in Matthew with parallels in Mark 13 and Luke 17 and 21, holding the key to interpretation and showing how teaching divides among classes concerned. It was spoken to the multitude and to the disciples as earthly ministry closed under the shadow of the cross, shortly before Gethsemane where he would bear the sins of the world, weary after a day's work and after speaking at length in predictions and warnings. It gave light to escape the destruction coming upon nation and city, warned against false teachers and false doctrines, and gave signs of the second advent by which the generation of his return can be known though not the day or hour, yielding rich returns to earnest seekers. It reveals the future by describing events to take place and the course of nations, churches and individuals, giving leading events in world and church in this dispensation and specially marking the last days as light in darkness so the day of the Lord does not come as a thief, vital to heed and ruinous to neglect.
Matthew 24 through Matthew 25 prophetically describes the utter destruction of the Jewish nation politically, including its civil, political and religious order, the end of that dispensation, and the establishing of the Christian dispensation, the kingdom of heaven, with principles of administration, separation of righteous from wicked as wheat from tares, final destiny of each class, and coming of the Son of Man in their accomplishment. Its immediate and primary reference is the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple and the sacking of Jerusalem by the Romans and the tribulation of that time, but that soon passes into greater and more appalling events it symbolizes that usher in the end of the world. The destruction of Jerusalem dreadful as it was does not fill the prophecy but points ahead to the more dreadful time spoken of by Daniel and elaborated in the Apocalypse, with parts concerning events beyond Jerusalem applying to his coming and the end of the world.
Matthew 25 stands among exhortations to watch given in connection with signs of the second advent and applying to the period just prior to that event, when Christ as bridegroom comes to meet his people. Its account of virgins going out to meet the bridegroom shows prophetic waymarks bringing changing duties and trials as the end approaches, and it requires the church living at the close of the dispensation to proclaim the nearness of his coming and judgment as light in darkness. It belongs to those brought under the Advent movement and tested by preaching of the speedy coming in 1843 and 1844, in which the foolish virgins participated. Their relation to him was affected when he closed daily ministration in the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary at the termination of the 2300 days in 1844 and moved into the most holy place, while those not tested by that preaching were not affected by that closing, and for those not rejecting the glorious news there is still an open door except for the class closing ears to the last message of mercy who must answer in the day of accounts.
The chapter records teaching about the general judgment, the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world reflecting Jewish discussion about his kingdom, and does not describe the parousia as a non-material spiritual presence and power. It is to be studied alongside the parable of the pounds in Luke 19 because together they give a fuller lesson about human accountability. Even a small gift like a cup of cold water can carry deep meaning, for in a hot Eastern climate cold water required effort to draw from a well, and such quiet thoughtful attentions demanding little and attracting no notice belong among Christian duties.
Time and Nature of Judgment
The verse belongs to the final judgment when the Son of man comes in glory with all the holy angels, sits upon the throne of glory, gathers all nations before him, and separates them as a shepherd divides sheep from goats, the righteous sheep on the right and the wicked goats on the left, each to receive reward or punishment. That coming is not the destruction of Jerusalem but only the final and general judgment, and judgment is an object of his coming. What is hidden is then revealed and every person receives a just award.
The scene pronounces final destinies with no reunion: the righteous are invited to inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world and enter life eternal, while the wicked are sent into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels, to go away into everlasting punishment, eternal death and the second death, parting even parents and children and friends. Their deeds toward his children, recorded in God's book, determine eternal life or everlasting punishment, making ordinary choices toward others matters of eternal consequence. Not everyone will be his at his coming.
The judgment, separation of all nations, and inheritance take place at his personal, glorious return on the last day, a certain, near, irreversible judgment belonging to prophecies of his second advent to judge, triumph and reign, not his first advent when despised and slain. He comes then not to die for sinners or preach salvation but to judge the world in righteousness at the day appointed by God, to give every person according to works. The saints' inheritance of the kingdom takes place at his return when he is seated on his glorious throne, welcoming the righteous and punishing those unfit to share in it.
Decisions are made before his coming and his coming carries them out with final reward and eternal consequences, for judgment comes before recompense. The going away of the wicked into everlasting punishment takes place at that time and not before, showing the lost are not now receiving punishment but are held until after they have been judged, and the reward of the second death for those failing to receive salvation belongs to that time. The casting of the wicked into the lake of fire is placed after the second coming, when decisions are announced before the assembled nations.
The righteous are not already enjoying heavenly glory before they stand before the Judge, but are judged before receiving reward rather than summoned from heaven or hell after already receiving final recompense. The account is inconsistent with their having been in glory for ages and then being summoned to hear sentence. The scene presents judgment as a future event, not a separation already completed at death, when destiny is officially announced before his judgment seat.
The shepherd's separation does not decide who is righteous, because righteous and wicked are already distinguished before the righteous dead are raised and the righteous living are changed to immortality. Through the whole scene he acts as executor of judgment, not as presiding judge in the trial, addressing each group to explain the reason for separation accomplished by the resurrection of the just. Execution is in two stages with the righteous rewarded at his coming and the wicked driven to doom at the end of the thousand years, the separation taking place in the investigative judgment before he comes so the words manifest a decision already made in heaven.
Matthew 25:31-46 covers the judgment from the second coming through the end of the thousand years, including the resurrection of the just and the second death of the wicked. The judgment scene refers to the kingdom established in its full form on the renewed earth after the thousand years, not at their beginning. The literal judgment at his personal coming with separation of nations precedes the millennium, not as allegory nor as an event safely distant behind a supposed thousand years of peace.
The scene beginning with his second appearing and gathering must be understood in light of his receiving his throne and the capital of his immortal kingdom before his appearing, fulfilling promises concerning David's throne. He judges in his kingly office by kingly power assumed after his priestly intercession ends, after the Father crowns him King and commits judgment to him, pronouncing decision in authority as King and judging his enemies. What people did to his least brethren counts as what they did to him in that kingly judgment.
The verse belongs to the sheep-and-goats parable about his coming in glory as judge of the living and dead at the last day, applied to the final separation at the city with saved sheep in the camp of the saints and wicked goats outside. The blessed are invited for serving the needy and others shut out for neglecting them, because he himself is served or neglected in treatment given to the needy. Its truth warns and awakens, encourages the saints, and calls to repentance and holy living, and all will be judged by his word.
The words are fulfilled when the Son of man comes at the glorious second advent to reward every person according to works, together with the closing of probation, the seven last plagues, and the resurrection of the righteous dead. They do not create a third class of brethren distinct from sheep and goats, for there are only righteous sheep and wicked goats with no middle ground, and therefore only two kinds of schools, Christian and unchristian. The surprise of the righteous does not mean they never heard the gospel but shows humility learned from him, unconscious of worthiness without boasting or claiming merit, for no one has worthiness of his own but is complete in him, so all glory goes to the Lamb alone who is worthy.
Matthew 25 has received wrong constructions through vague ideas of judgment and the second coming and must not be used to set aside the plain fact of two resurrections. Its broad terms such as all men and every man are limited and cannot mean all the wicked in graves at the second advent. Yet it is a plain non-figurative statement that the wicked will be raised and face future punishment.
In the day of final reckoning when he comes with holy angels and sits on the throne with nations gathered and separated, treatment of the poor is the true index of character turning decisions, not as arbitrary reward but as making permanent choices already made, determining fitness for eternal joys and proving discipleship, with separation and opening of reward and punishment at his coming, not before. Feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, taking in the stranger, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and coming to those in prison, done to one of the least of his brethren, was done to him, and this ministry is the test bringing inheritance and entrance into life eternal, while failure done to him brings everlasting punishment. He places himself on the poor man's side, counting every self-denying act to help the suffering as done to himself, and what is done for man is in reality done for God.
In the picture of the great day the final sentence against the utterly condemned mentions only sins of omission and not sins of commission, proving God's estimate of the larger evil of sins of omission whose spirit is cruel heartlessness and whose consequences are terrible. The judgment exposes guilt and hypocrisy where high-sounding words and outward profession cannot replace purity and truth. Its outcome is a serious warning whose truth must not be softened, to be applied personally by recognizing the Judge as Saviour and trusting him.
The passage belongs to his account of the execution of judgment and conviction of the ungodly for evil deeds and hard words. It shows the antitype of the scapegoat service where Satan as scapegoat is held guilty for sins he instigated and banished with those sins still upon him after God's people are cleansed, which does not atone for the people.
Christ Identified with Others
What is done to even one of the least of Christ's brethren is counted as done to Christ himself, because he identifies his interests with theirs, calls even the least his brethren, is present in them and receives them as sent in his place, so kindness or contempt toward those society treats as least is shown to him. In the judgment the record of good deeds is examined in the Father's presence and the saints pronounced innocent, their sins blotted out before his priestly work ends and they made immortal before they stand before him, when he recounts their deeds and announces reward rather than deciding saved or lost. The judgment considers intentions as well as actions, for love gives even small deeds worth while an outwardly good act from selfishness or to earn eternal life has no value, and service from gratitude does not earn reward, for eternal life is given through God's love.
Christ identifies himself with even the smallest, poorest, or weakest disciple and with suffering humanity, their suffering being his suffering and their good his joy, and whatever good or harm is done to them is done to him, so persecuting them is persecuting him as Saul did. He calls even the least of his children his brethren with tender love, is represented in his suffering children, and acceptable religion is practical unshowy kindness from love rather than for reward, relieving their suffering relieving his and bringing joy to them bringing joy to him.
Christ himself still suffers now because as head of the body he feels what members feel even more surely than members feel for one another, as high priest he is still touched with human infirmity and has compassion on the weak, and he never laid aside the human nature he took but remains identified with suffering men, so when followers suffer he suffers with them and their afflictions are part of his continuing afflictions for the church. His sufferings were not limited to the cross, and as long as there is sorrow on earth there is sorrow in heaven, with every hurt driving another to tears making him suffer more than the person hurt, both when souls are born into the kingdom and when people sin and backslide until the last soul is redeemed. Suffering endured by followers for the gospel is counted as suffering endured by Christ himself and will be reckoned as his own at his coming. Relieving pain and suffering is sacred because he has joined himself to the human family so human suffering is his suffering, and this identification belongs to the setting of judgment when rewards and punishments are given.
Though ascended he still lives and dwells in followers as living Head of the body whose least bear his image, and his people are his body with his life present in them, so neglecting or despising one is despising Christ, while serving them is personal service to him he will acknowledge. Neglect of them shows a broken bond with the living Head, and believers are to regard every believer as belonging to Christ with the love they would show their Lord, valuing Christ himself above every earthly attraction. His Spirit teaches putting others before self and caring for the destitute. In his life of love he identified himself with all humanity, making humanity one in him so kindness to the lowliest counts as done to him and he calls them brethren, belonging to his teaching of unity as vine with branches and body with head, the oneness of Father and Son extended to believers through the Comforter.
What is left undone for the least is counted as left undone for Christ, so people are condemned for sins of omission and neglect and not only for conspicuous wicked deeds, and the judgment condemns for failing to help, not only for doing wrong. Failure to feed, clothe, visit and help exposes character and reveals lack of love for Christ, God and others, tries every man's work and exposes hypocrites grasping goods while crying Lord, Lord. Failing to comfort, help or minister to the least is failing to comfort Christ and leaving him unattended, and turning away from them is turning away from him answered with rejection. Even when that neglect is pardoned, the blessing that would have come from doing it unto him is lost.
The righteous do these acts from love and the Spirit working through them without realizing they serve Christ and without seeking compensation or praise. Their humble surprise asking when they saw and helped him shows kindness as natural fruit of rooted principle, and this ignorance is good because knowing would make them conceited, so the welcome rests not on amount but spirit. Those welcomed have served by feeding, welcoming, clothing and visiting, often without realizing it, and these humble acts of mercy are the good works acknowledged and rewarded with the kingdom in contrast to showy wonderful works disowned. The righteous are surprised that ordinary humble service is counted so highly, for they did not keep track or claim credit, while those who remembered deeds and claimed favor are cast off. Service may be done unawares, its value lying in his presence rather than human praise, to be revealed at final assessment, with even a cup of cold water rewarded and hands made beautiful by labor valued above jeweled unused hands.
Love for Christ is shown by loving and caring for those he died for through active deeds and not only prayer or praise, and love shown to his brothers is counted as love to him and is the measure used in judgment. Such service belongs to a life in which Christ dwells and grounds self-giving work and the duty to give in love of neighbor. How people treat his afflicted followers is how they treat him, and one showing them no compassion can expect no compassion from God. Neglect recorded in heaven offends God daily, and only those serving them can receive the welcome into the kingdom prepared from the foundation.
What people do to one another is done to Christ, revealing sin against another as enmity against God leading to repentance and peace. What is done to his representatives will be faced again in his presence when present valuations are reversed, with worldly honors then worthless and the despised reproach of Christ then of infinite worth, so sympathies should be thrown forward into the judgment and the little time left to suffer with him used to bear the cross unto glory. Some of Christ is in every soul, and faith and love behold the good by seeing Christ in every person and finding a friend in every foe.
Who Are the Brethren
His brethren are his children and followers, his disciples and servants and saints, his representatives on earth and his church in all the earth, including little ones under his training and aged servants, one with him as head and body are one. He is present in them though often not discerned, hungry and thirsty for human love, present among the sick and suffering and sorrowful, passing in and out among people in the worn form of his humble followers. To give them shelter and rest and washing and anointing care, to speak soothing words and comfort the sick and minister to wants, to supply the needs of orphans and older people needing homes and of those who cannot help themselves, is personal service to him that he will acknowledge, and to fail is to turn him away to seek resting place among other hearts to whom the benediction will go.
In his teaching about his coming as Son of man he calls those who have accepted his redeeming grace his brethren, because they represent him on earth. The name reflects close bond, for though exalted in heaven he is not ashamed to acknowledge them and longs to bring them to share his presence and glory. He calls the redeemed his little brothers, standing as elder brother in a real spiritual family that reveals oneness with humanity and the Father's love making believers sons of God. The Father therefore places his hand on every redeemed soul in acceptance as his beloved son, and in Christ the sons of God receive riches and power and immortality and all riches of grace. As elder brother of all believers in one family, treatment of a brother on earth is treatment of Christ in heaven, requiring no speech against a brother, no evil report, no word reflecting on integrity of character and sincerity of purpose, any more than against Christ himself. Believers are gladly to bear with brothers in sins and show the same solicitude for spiritual infirmity as for a natural brother's physical sickness, hastening in earnest prayer to the Great Physician until restoration to spiritual health, because Christ bears with sinners in love and bore sins in his own body on the tree.
The least include the poor and hungry and thirsty and naked, the sick and burdened and sorrowful, the stranger and prisoner, the bereaved and orphaned and widowed and fatherless, the enslaved and fallen, the friendless and homeless, the aged and children and other weak and less favored people, even a poor drunkard or lame or blind person, because they belong to Christ by purchase with his blood. Caring for them by feeding and giving drink, clothing and comforting and helping, encouraging the weary, helping the fallen, defending what is right, sheltering the poor and raising the fallen, is reckoned when he comes as Judge, and at judgment he calls people to account for entrusted means and time and abilities and influence and light and knowledge, including whether used to lead others to salvation. The least are perishing souls around, especially homeless youth and those inexperienced and weak and ignorant and helpless and in need of pity, to be invited into pleasant homes and loved and respected as his purchase and labored for in the strength of his loving-kindness toward the helpless for future welfare and shaping of Christian character, even when they sorely try patience. Those who so minister will wear the crown of sacrifice and receive reward, seeing in heaven the youth they helped and led from temptation with faces reflecting radiance of the glory of God.
The least include humble island peoples and dark-skinned natives despised as without intellect and ranked low by caste, with no exception for color or race or intellect, even the vilest to be seen by faith as sons of God in glory, so keeping humble dwellings open to strangers and receiving them fulfills the word. The least include a weary poorly dressed traveling mother with baby and little children clinging to her, hungry and tired, and giving one's own sandwiches and fruit with a kind word is angel's work done to him and deserving blessing. Rudely driving the poor away or laughing at them, or withholding help for fear they are impostors or food will be needed later, disobeys it. The least are those walking unheeded in silent byways, hungry with none feeding, weary with none leading, small and of no worth in men's eyes, weeping and fasting in the same weary way he trod, turned from by the world and its pleasures, lacking glory and honor and outward beauty to attract men. God will right their wrongs by severing bonds binding them to earth, crowning them with everlasting joy and causing them to rest in his bosom forever, while those pampered with gold and laughter and riches and fame will receive judgment, weeping and anguish and scorn under wrath.
The least include downtrodden peoples in dark lands afar off whose need appeals to heaven, and being faithful stewards of his grace means finishing the work among them and not letting mission funds be diverted or pressed aside by other demands. Girls in Japan striving for higher life, unwelcome children in China with bound feet and aimless ignorant hopeless lives, little child widows in India trodden down and worn out by custom, a million aged men and defenseless women and innocent children starving in Japan, are among them, and giving liberally in mission offerings to bring light and truth and help and relief, working and speaking and pleading and praying and giving as opportunity comes, is doing it to him when relief reaches them through another's small self-denying sacrifice. His voice repeats the promise again and again like a sustained theme above grateful songs of Chinese and Japanese and Indian women finding refuge and mercy at his feet, filling a poor worn offering with music and beauty, and those who throw out the life-line will never lose promised blessing. The least are the lost and straying whom followers are called to seek and bring safely back to his fold, with service and patient effort on their behalf done for the Saviour. Feeding the hungry and visiting the sick and helping the poor and widows and orphans are good works, but seeking the lost and bringing them to Christ is the greatest Christian work.
Even among the heathen some cherish the spirit of kindness and befriend missionaries before ever hearing the words of life, even ministering at peril of life, and he accepts it as done to himself and welcomes the person into the kingdom. This includes merciful acts by heathen with no clear knowledge of God's law who followed its requirements as recognized in nature, their minds and nature softened by grace when one befriended or pleaded for a servant of God. There are also heathen who worship God without knowing him, to whom light never comes by human messenger, yet they will not perish, for though ignorant of written law they hear his voice in nature and do things the law requires, their works evidencing the Holy Spirit touching hearts, so they are recognized as children of God. Those who live out his spirit in sincere service may know little theology, and even people who have not heard salvation's message may show kindness and give what help they can. Their actions bring his blessing and make them ready to receive light when it reaches them.
The needy, including orphans and older people needing homes and those who cannot help themselves, are his representatives, and love for him is shown by supplying needs and helping; the poor are his representatives and legacy to the church to test loyalty and draw out sympathy. What is needed to meet necessities of all the worthy poor is entrusted to the church as guardian and asylum for the homeless, making it duty and privilege of each to relieve the afflicted as able in united organized action, sharing blessings with patient self-sacrificing effort rather than exclusive concern for self and own interests, with gratitude for gifts shown by generous giving and tending distress. He is present in the person nearest to us, so doing the next duty for that person is service to him. Personal contact with individual people for whom he died, including the weak reaching out for help, is personal contact with the Lord himself, and he comes today in those reaching for help, so interest in individuals is interest in him and giving aid is service to him. Even the least may claim God's sure support with as much confidence as King David, since promises are not limited by rank or standing.
Mercy Required in Judgment
Feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and coming to those in prison, when done to one of the least of his brethren, is done to Christ himself, and is the reason the King welcomes the righteous to inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world. The righteous have a deep-rooted piety that leads them to do good without pride and without even seeming to know what they have done, and they do not recognize they have served Christ through these acts, yet the King identifies such service as the basis for welcome and service to others is personal responsibility. True generosity is this practical care, and those welcomed have often served him without realizing it, while ministering in this way should especially engage the attention of his professed people. That coming in glory with all the holy angels is at hand and is to be read and meditated upon with care in the fear of God and in view of eternity, when two classes are brought to view.
Ministering to the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick and imprisoned is the ministry the Lord wants his church to perform as service to Christ. Giving food, drink, shelter, clothing and care to those in need, including the aged poor and orphans, is a way of serving him, to be done generously according to the means God has provided. Practical care includes feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing those without clothes, sheltering the distressed, visiting the sick and lonely and imprisoned, warming the cold, comforting the wounded and afflicted, and responding to orphans and widows. Benevolence responds to human distress with compassion and practical help, including giving influence and property to relieve suffering, following his example to help the needy, seek the lost, rescue those in danger, comfort the sorrowing and heal the sick, so that following his Spirit leads to serving others with greater earnestness and joy. Kindness and mercy toward sinners, even in a word, look or smile, can help turn a life toward good, and his humble friendship with sinners was part of his work to seek and save the lost, while the teachings of the Bible are to be lived out in acts of care. Turning the needy away while pursuing wealth and luxury is failure to serve him.
These humble acts of mercy are the good works he acknowledges and rewards with the kingdom, in contrast to showy wonderful works done in his name which he disowns. They are the character of works the purified peculiar people will be zealous to do in the last days, with greater zeal as the Spirit is more fully manifest under the latter rain. The verse commends active ordinary good works and not merely avoiding harm or performing great deeds admired by people; ordinary duties and service to others matter. Even the smallest acts of care are not overlooked, reaching even the smallest acts of kindness, and giving according to ability with love for Jesus and for the people for whom he died will be acknowledged by the Saviour. Such works come from a heart ruled by unselfish benevolence, using gains from work to bless others and using what is kept to preserve life and health so as to live out the Christian religion and lead others to Christ. In the judgment the test is whether people ministered to Christ in this way, and those most active in the work are placed at the right hand, the work required being self-sacrificing help to the helpless, fatherless, widow and less fortunate — loosing bands of wickedness, undoing heavy burdens, breaking yokes, feeding the hungry, bringing poor outcasts into the house and clothing the naked — and using spare time among poor neighbors in this way is the Bible outlet for bodily activity, retaining and regaining health, advancing righteousness, giving protection to the rearward and demonstrating a rounded spiritual and physical life.
Every kindly action is counted: speaking love and peace and comfort to earth's weary and troubled ones, stretching out the hand to help them, dividing even crumbs with them, ever watching and being ever ready to assist the straying and needy and aid them on the road to heaven, and in the little household circle a kindly heart full of thought for others' pleasure and scattering blessings all around. Such earthly helpers are fireside angels, doing the Master's bidding through the day just as truly as bright spirits sent from the world of glory, with love flowing from heaven, and the light from their glad faces makes a little heaven below. Quiet unseen service — feeding the hungry, comforting the sad and sorrowful, helping others without seeking reward — is recorded in heaven as deeds of love done to Jesus. Kindness and practical care given to the needy, weary, weak, grieving and spiritually lost matter even when they bring no public recognition; heaven records them, they matter more than earthly rank, fame or honors, and they are included in God's true judgment of a person's work and bear on the destiny of souls. Acts such as giving a drink, visiting the sick, clothing the naked and feeding the hungry are done to Christ.
Jesus accepts even small acts of kindness and service, and those who do them will receive a reward. Even a small contribution matters when a person has done all they can to aid those in need. Acts of love toward others, even small favors such as giving a cup of water in his name, are counted as service to Christ and remembered for the day of judgment, and the word inasmuch links such acts to Christly service. Even a helping hand or kind word in another's distress has lasting worth and is kept in an unfading record. Even the smallest service to even the humblest person, when done unselfishly for love, is recorded by the angels of heaven and received by the Lord of glory as though done to himself, requiring not looking on one's own things but on the things of others, always looking for where self may be forgotten and someone else remembered, not only at Christmas-time but at all times, following him who went about doing good.
A loving touch, tender word, sympathy, self-sacrifice, easing another's burden, comforting sorrow, guiding someone toward the right way, and giving food or water are pictured as threads and pearls that form the fine linen worn in the life beyond the grave. These garments are made by God's grace, and those who stand before the King in them will not be ashamed. Even small or hidden acts — giving to the hungry, helpless, friendless and poor — may involve sacrifices whose full worth is not known until Christ reveals it at the final judgment. The widow's offering and Mary's gift of ointment illustrate how love's value can exceed what people see; even a cup of water given to his thirsty followers will be counted among its treasures. The highest service lies close by the traveled way in little everyday things done for needy people: soothing a crying child, helping a crippled man across the street with a kindly word, touching the hand of one in pain and pointing him to Jesus who lives to save and heal and bless, giving a weary one a sincere smile of cheer that gives strength to plan and do, and singing a song of hope and faith and trust that lifts the discouraged to believe. Such acts may seem too small to be noticed by God, but they are written down and kept as a record more precious than gold, made to shine in kingly courts above as stars in a crown, echoing through earth and sky till every angel hears, and they stand approved eternally as done to himself.
Small work counts as mission-work for God, not only going far away to teach heathen lands but including mission fields at home: a word, a prayer, a tear or smile, sweetening toil and care at home, cheering wearied hearts, sharing joys and sorrows, controlling thoughts and words and deeds, living shut in by prayer, watching for his call, and reflecting his love in the face. Little everyday acts done for others may be counted by the Lord as worthy of record in heaven even when people consider them unworthy of notice; work full of self may be rejected though people praise and record it. Even small duties, sympathies and alms count as service to him, not only great acts of sacrifice, and work offered to him may be small or humble but he values it and knows the love behind it. Kind acts done to wipe weeping eyes and help sore need are never lost, but like flashes of the sun they signal to the skies, and angels above read and record how the need was helped. Ordinary duties need not be abandoned: small acts, counsel and heartfelt care for the ignorant, erring and sorrowing are little errands for Jesus and can help reclaim, uplift and strengthen others, so even poor, weak and timid ones without great means, talent, time or tact can receive his welcome, because God looks at the heart and weighs motives and uses the weakest ones for his noblest work.
What counts is not what is given but what is shared, for a gift without the giver is bare. Whoever gives himself with his alms feeds three at once — himself, his hungering neighbor, and Christ. Those who faithfully perform duties to the poor, even when they require little money, show love and self-denial and will inherit God's kingdom; the worth rewarded is the spirit of the giver, not the gift's monetary value. Such practical personal ministry to even the least — feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and visiting and helping the sick — cannot be replaced by giving money or supporting institutions. Acts of mercy toward his needy and suffering followers — feeding the hungry, welcoming strangers, clothing the naked, and caring for the sick or imprisoned — serve him in the person of his saints, and cannot be replaced by religious observance, outward piety, respectable conduct or supporting religious work. The righteous may do these things from love and the influence of truth in their hearts without realizing they are serving Christ, their kindness being the natural fruit of principles rooted within them, while those who neglect the needy are condemned for failing to act even if outwardly pious. Fear that some recipients may be unworthy is no reason to let love grow cold, and service must come from willing love.
That service covers spiritual hunger as well as physical hunger through house-to-house work with health literature, hygienic cooking demonstrations and simple treatments, which breaks down prejudice, prepares the way for the whole truth, interests people in sanitarium work, and gathers many souls from the cities into the kingdom, while ignoring their cries dulls hearing and blinds eyes to need. Serving those in need includes meeting practical needs and showing personal concern for their spiritual salvation; through such loving conduct his character is made visible to others. Feeding the physically hungry, giving drink to the thirsty and other works of mercy also picture the higher work of caring for people who are spiritually destitute. Neglecting the practical acts means the greater spiritual need will surely be neglected. He accepts good done to the poor and suffering and oppressed, including souls bound in superstition and error, as done to himself, making those entrusted as stewards of means and of rich grace responsible to help such needy ones. Meeting physical needs with practical help can reveal Christ and open the way for people to receive spiritual help; words or religious literature alone do not answer a hungry person's need. Even a smile or word of courage, offered at home or far away, is an act of charity to him, giving power to ministry and calling for tender hearts shaped by God's Spirit, including giving food, money or clothing, watching beside a sickbed, helping someone overburdened, encouraging the fainthearted and kindly correcting someone who errs, which he will repay. Teaching a Sabbath-school class and caring for those entrusted to one's spiritual care are therefore acts of service to the Saviour.
Serving his least and neediest people includes bringing the gospel's glad tidings to the poor and inviting hungry souls to receive its blessing. When his followers give spiritual bread and welcome weary, hungry souls, they serve the King himself, joining acts of mercy toward the least with service to him. Giving silver or gold to support the spread of the gospel and win souls is therefore an offering made to the Lord. Feeding someone may prepare that person to receive the gospel and place the helper in a good position to teach it, but almsgiving by itself is not the gospel; Christian help work becomes gospel work when properly joined with saving truth.
Curing the sick, relieving the afflicted and caring for suffering humanity are a distinguishing mark between the good and the bad when the great separation takes place between the sheep and the goats. What is done to suffering people is done to himself, so care for the sick must be exemplified in a pre-eminent sense. Charging those who are able to pay for treatment, which enables a larger field of usefulness, does not keep the work from being really benevolent, while others who are not able to pay anything must also be cared for. When officers, physicians and helpers are animated by the love that distinguished the Saviour of sinners, patients whether rich or poor feel an influence money cannot pay for or procure, bringing relief to bodily ailments and a healing influence to sick souls that causes rejoicing with unspeakable joy. Caring for sick neighbors through medical missionary work is service done to himself, fulfilled in rural schools by keeping a small treatment-room with simple bedrooms and giving hydrotherapy treatments together with hygienic diet, fresh air, outdoor life and rest, which greatly benefits sick people everywhere and gives opportunity to live the truth before neighbors and to present it to the sick in the best manner. Providing treatment for those unable to pay, helping suffering people nearby, and ministering to the sick and distressed are acts of mercy to the least and service to the Master in the person of his children.
Providing poor people with medical care and support, while helping them spiritually, is missionary work done for Christ. Nursing students fulfill it by spending part of their time in city dispensary work helping the poor and needy as training for conditions they will meet in future fields of labor, and by providing hospital care as a blessing to those who cannot afford sanitarium rates through one-dollar-a-day wards and nine-to-fifteen-dollar-a-week private rooms. Visiting prisoners and offering practical help, such as a cup of water, can serve Christ when given in faith and love; this calls for sympathy toward erring people who may repent and be healed. The service it rewards is not limited to believers imprisoned for persecution for his sake, but includes ministry to needy humanity in the person of the prisoner generally. Fitness for eternity turns on this practical benevolence: those placed on the right hand are there because they ministered to Christ in the prisoner, and those on the left because they failed to do so, creating a duty to bring the gospel to prisoners behind bars, often done without conscious awareness of serving him. Caring for prisoners and the sick and seeking to improve their condition, supporting and encouraging people who are ill, isolated, sailors or prisoners, and a little girl's visits, books and lifelong help for prisoners illustrate care whose practical help shows love and lasting good.
Serving people in need — visiting the sick, feeding the poor, caring for destitute children, providing clothing for poor and fatherless children, and providing food and firewood for a poor widow and her children — is service rendered to himself, bringing joy to those helped and giving the giver a new spiritual start. Caring for the helpless and homeless puts this principle into practice through Christian homes and orphanages, and refusing interest in them or the care they represent shows a lack of his Spirit. The verse applies to widows, orphans and poor disciples who need food and relief: leaving them uncared for while professing Christian belief contradicts true service to Christ. Such service includes giving to children, widows, orphans, the sick, the infirm, the helpless and the cause of Christ; he is present with those who give in this way. Visiting and serving the sick or needy, remembering those who lack food or comfortable clothing and supplying what they need, giving food to hungry people, and self-sacrificing nursing and care for a sick stranger are service done to himself to lead people to him, belonging with putting God and his cause first, with offerings to bring souls to Christ, and parents should teach children by example to go on such errands of love for him in remembrance of the gracious Giver. Clothing and feeding the needy is clothing and feeding Jesus Christ himself. It gives grand opportunity for Christians, evangelists, physicians and philanthropists to co-operate with Christ in the salvation of the body-sick, soul-sick, sin-sick and poverty-stricken by working for God, helping the poor, taking the sinner by the hand, introducing him to the Saviour and pointing him to Jesus. The work must be done now, for now is the acceptable time, because in just a little while Jesus the Master will come and the faithful workers will be gathered home, and caring for people in need — clothing the destitute, feeding the hungry, providing beds for the poor — is service done to Christ, while feeding the hungry expresses the sympathy and compassion the verse commends.
Tending the sick, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and comforting the sorrowful are acts of service to Christ, and such unselfish kindness can help people recognize his love and become ready to hear God's Word. Feeding the hungry and clothing the naked can meet both physical needs and open people to their spiritual needs; directing people to the Saviour is also part of this service. Those who have been helped will recognize and thank their helpers among the redeemed, and those who served people unable to repay them will receive their recompense at the resurrection of the just.
Doctrine Faith and Obedience
The judgment looks at motive as well as deed, for love toward Christ gives worth even to small humble acts, while an outwardly good act done from selfishness or to earn eternal life has no value before God, and service springing from gratitude for divine love does not purchase the reward, since eternal life is given through God's love.
Salvation is bound up with faithfully doing duty toward others, calling for examination of motives and careful performance of religious duty, and the contrast between those entering the kingdom and workers of iniquity told to depart marks the difference between faithful obedience and mere profession.
Fruit-bearing is the final test, for good ground bears fruit for Christ through what is done for others, and practical care for the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick and imprisoned is evidence of faith working through love, while neglect shows such faith is lacking.
In the last judgment the Lord commends some and condemns others according to works, meaning obedience to the commandments, and although those sayings place the whole stress on works and say nothing about faith, faith remains indispensable to pious character.
Responsibility and service go with salvation and cannot be separated, for those inheriting the kingdom have served by practical care counted as done to Christ, while the lost are condemned for failing to do good to the sick and suffering and the saved are rewarded for active benevolence.
That reckoning is by actions and not by prayers alone, for loving mercy means delighting to be merciful in deed and not in kind words only, by supplying bodily necessities to the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked and sick, and such benevolent works are fruits proving living faith and pure undefiled religion, carrying exceeding great and precious promises.
Well-doing, acts of benevolence and mercy, and keeping God's commandments, rather than prayer and ceremonial observances alone, give entrance into the city and kingdom, so people pass the test of judgment and the gates as commandment-keepers and doers of the law, after first by grace being justified from past sins by faith in Christ's blood, then as doers being justified in the judgment with right to the tree of life.
Matthew 25:14-46 is instruction to be studied and compared with the life record, for meeting the needs of the poor is a qualification for inheriting the kingdom, and those receiving Christ's Spirit will care for them, since the judgment rests on the principles of his kingdom including love, mercy, forgiveness, humility, faith and sympathy.
Decisions of the great day are not arbitrary but depend on treatment of one's brother, for life and love mean the same thing, to live is to love and to love is to live because God is love and the fountain of life, and to receive eternal life given in Christ is to receive love while to live that life is to reveal it by sharing temporal and spiritual goods as God loved and gave His only begotten Son, a ministry of love taught by all things animate and inanimate and rejected only when God is forgotten, with showing mercy to the poor standing high as righteousness.
The saying expresses the principle of reward under his rule, that faith must prove itself through works, and deeds toward his children, recorded in God's book, determine eternal life or everlasting punishment, making ordinary choices toward others matters of eternal consequence.
The welcome to inherit the kingdom is spoken at last to those rich toward God by purely disinterested works, bearing others' burdens and relieving suffering without seeking money, honor, friends or any reward in this life, with recompense at the resurrection of the just unto eternal life proving the true missionary spirit and possession of Christ's Spirit.
Serving needy brethren by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and visiting and relieving the sick and imprisoned expresses obedience to God's law of love and is the moral character by which people are welcomed or excluded, so in judgment people are commended or condemned according as they have ministered to the poor and afflicted, giving prominent place to inviting all to the marriage, while the righteous remain unconscious of great merit in humble service and many of loud profession neglect their own salvation by neglecting the poor.
Entrance is tested by moral character alone, a life devoted to doing good from a pure heart of love to God and people conformed to Christ's image, and church ordinances, ritual, faith and prayer as means are indispensable for approaching God, finding pardon and attaining perfection, yet are not the end nor named at the threshold, so no penitence, prayer, baptism, dying profession, drop of water, priestly absolution or infant baptism can admit a life devoted to carnal selfishness and vice.
The description of judgment does not teach that knowledge of Christ is unnecessary and that people can be saved without faith in him, and to use it for that doctrine twists it.
The sheep are the righteous and the goats the wicked, including all who must answer before Christ, and even high profession does not pass the test when unsupported by lowly deeds of service revealing whether people have represented the Master professed.
There are only two classes with no middle ground and no third class of brethren distinct from sheep and goats, and the surprise of the righteous does not mean they never heard the gospel but shows humility learned from Jesus, unconscious of worthiness without boasting or claiming merit, for no one has worthiness of his own but is complete in Christ, so all glory goes to the Lamb alone as worthy.
The verse tries every person's work and exposes hypocrites crying Lord, Lord while grasping worldly goods and leaving the lone widow with fatherless children to suffer in comfort-surrounded coldness, removing them from among the saints as part of the Third Angel's Message.
No one can plead ignorance by asking when Christ was seen hungry, thirsty, naked, sick and in prison, for what is neglected to the least is neglected to him, laying full claim on those professing to keep all God's commandments and the faith of Jesus, leaving no excuse for laying up earthly treasure, contradicting profession by unjust walk and dealing, hoarding what God commanded to be distributed, dishonoring the cause before poorer brethren and sisters, or claiming love for God while breaking His commandments when the end of all things is at hand and the earth with its works will be burned.
In judgment the record of good deeds is examined in the Father's presence and the saints pronounced innocent, their sins blotted out before priestly work ends and made immortal before standing before him, so recounting their deeds announces reward rather than deciding saved or lost.
Final destiny depends on whether kindness was exercised in this life, with even small acts brought to account, and faithful service to even one individual is connected with eternal life, making faithfulness to one the measure of duty rather than number served.
Acts of care will be brought to mind on judgment day and have an imperishable record unlike earthly fame, for feeding the hungry and clothing the naked in love to God and in the Saviour's name are done to Christ, and faithful service in clothing the poor, relieving the needy, comforting the troubled and helping save others is rewarded with entrance into the Lord's joy and the prepared kingdom, while opposite conduct brings condemnation and no welcome from the King.
Seeking out worthy poor with unselfish interest and helping them help themselves by feeding, clothing, sheltering and visiting is vital pure religion recognized at judgment, and Christian workers have duty and privilege to care tenderly for the afflicted in practical sympathy.
The verse is the test measuring fitness to live in heaven by how professed Christians treat one another now, whether greeting all heartily in warm fellowship or only the congenial and honorable, and whether ready to live with them forever in close heavenly communion.
Treatment of the poor, needy and unfortunate measures genuine Christian experience, for kindness to them counts as done to Christ and people are judged by actions toward others, and every act of practical kindness matters in last-day decisions, since means used to serve are entrusted by God with accountability for stewardship.
Care for the easily overlooked, such as offering a poor elderly stranger a seat to hear the gospel, honors Christ while failure brings shame, and neglecting tender acts in this life brings no welcome at the final reckoning.
God regards all as one great family and makes those with temporal abundance stewards tested through those without, grieved when abundance surfeits itself while others at the door are pinched and dying, so duty to share begins with very little surplus, as one with two coats imparting to him with none, and shutting up compassion toward a brother in need shows God's love absent in hatred that is murder under the sixth commandment, while doing good to the least keeps it and leads to life eternal and failure toward Christ leads to everlasting punishment.
True religion is practical mercy and not sacrifice or proud humilities of sense and posturing of penitence, but love's unforced obedience, loving good as seen in Jesus, being saved from selfishness and sin itself and not merely its pain, with book and church and day given for man and earth as blessed means to holiest ends and not as masters, for Christ dwells not afar as king of a remoter star but here among the poor, blind, bound and suffering, living today in works done and prayers prayed as life of life.
Persecution and Social Injustice
Christ's servants are his representatives, so what is done to or for them is done to or for him. The scoffs, scorns, insults, hatreds, persecutions, losses and injuries that fall on believers because they are followers are therefore to be borne with and for one another as duty and joyful privilege. Bearing them is following him in his labor of love, who suffered not for himself but for others, manifesting the disinterested kindness of the gospel opposed to all selfishness. It is suffering for his sake, even suffering with him. Those who scoff at the saints and oppose them are answerable for their treatment of them.
Reviling or persecuting disciples is offense against Jesus himself. Harm done to his least brethren is counted as harm done to him, and at the judgment the Christian martyrs will testify against the papacy as a persecuting power, whose conviction will come by his words for what it did to them. He identifies himself with the weakest and humblest, so sale and abuse of a suffering person makes him again bound, sold and scourged in the victim. The same principle that counts love and kindness toward followers as done to him counts contempt, neglect, withholding food or clothing, envy and slander against even a weak or lowly believer as wounding and dishonoring him who lives in his people. Kindness to his lowliest followers is done to him because their bodies are a dwelling of God through the Spirit, and harming or exploiting them is therefore offense against him. Treatment of followers, especially humble people seeking to remain loyal, is treatment of himself, so kindness to them is kindness to him and indignities inflicted on them are indignities against him, and religious zeal does not excuse torturing or coercing people into religion.
He identifies himself with his suffering people, so harming or falsely accusing followers is striking against him and accusing the Saviour, for he suffers in the person of his saints. Dissecting the characters of friends, seasoning daily meals with doubt and questionings, and passing slander around the family table for adults and children to comment on dishonors God, because what is done in gossip and tale-bearing against the least of his brethren is done to him. Oppression, selfishness and indifference to the poor treat the Righteous One as condemned and killed anew, since he identifies himself with those who suffer. Condemning his saints can amount to condemning him, even when not realized. Every injury done to them for the truth he counts as done to himself, which comforts believers and makes them willing to endure a little suffering for him who endured much for them, knowing suffering with him leads to reigning with him in eternal glory.
Condemning, betraying or injuring saints counts as done to him, and betraying or mistreating them is in effect betraying him. What is done to his saints is done to him, so persecuting them is like crucifying him again. As the Jews in zeal crucified him, those who in unwise zeal enforce a man-made god and legal religion with Sunday laws put him to death anew in the person of his saints, prosecuting and persecuting honest-hearted Christians who for conscience follow God's word rather than human religious laws and institutions, thereby dishonoring and rejecting the Christ of God while upholding a false christ. Violence against his people is violence against him, for those who destroyed people clinging to him and his word were spiritually crucifying him. Those who reject God's rule and oppose his people put him to death again in the person of his unswerving followers, since what is done to his faithful people is done to him.
What is done to his least brethren is done to him, which exposes professing him while supporting war, since weapons that harm people cannot be reconciled with treating the least as him. A Christian who fights another Christian is fighting him in that person, and hostile attempts on another's life are worse than failing to help someone in need. Treatment of the least and most despised tests relation to him, presenting brotherhood and equality with him as the standard in judgment and condemning claim to faith while buying, selling and abusing people as property. Believers are members of his body so every indignity or injury to them is done to him, and enslaving, buying or selling a Christian is treating him as slave or merchandise, which Christians must not do to fellow believers. Those who uphold slavery and oppress the vulnerable will answer to him as though done to him. Harming a person by denying equal rights is offense against him, since he identifies himself with each individual, and those responsible will answer for it.
Neglecting enslaved people is failure of duty to him that can bring condemnation at final judgment, making care for the least a primary moral matter and not secondary, including working through elections and legislation to secure justice and liberty for the oppressed. Serving his poor, enslaved and injured people is serving him, and remembering him in daily life means recognizing him in sufferers and acting for their good. An act of kindness toward one among the least and most vulnerable is done to him, as when giving a weary enslaved girl a ride awakens generosity in others and exposes selfishness and treason. Whatsoever is done to his weakest and humblest ones is done to him, including the evil done to the little temple-girls of India, innocent children offered in marriage to stone gods and ensnared and ruined by priests, with lives lost to pure womanhood and to the kingdom of heaven. What is done to the least and weakest is done to him, applied to people imprisoned for obeying God and to all suffering injustice, so faithfulness requires standing with the oppressed rather than remaining silent.
He identifies himself with followers whom he calls brethren, so what is done to even the least is done to him, and persecuting someone for worshiping God according to conscience is persecuting him. He supports no oppressor or persecutor, even when persecution is carried out in his name or claimed to advance his kingdom, whether past or present. He is present with faithful Christians punished in the Tennessee chain-gang for refusing Sunday observance, and the saying is addressed to every ruler as well as everyone else, so civil authorities imprisoning them act against him who remains with his disciples to the end of the world. Prosecuting disciples is prosecuting him, so authorities in the United States and Canada who at the instigation of professed Christians prosecute men for working Sunday and observing the Lord's Sabbath do to him what they do to the least disciple who follows him. He rested the seventh day and worked the first day on earth and being the same would do the same now, so authorities would logically be forced to prosecute him too.
To arrest, convict and put in the chain-gang as common criminals those who work six days including Sunday and rest the seventh is to do it to him, for he worked at carpentry and rested the seventh day. Enforcing man-made religion by Sunday laws to prosecute honest Christians puts him to death anew in his saints, and those setting aside God's Sabbath for the sun-worshipers' day and enforcing it lay violent hands on the Lord's anointed. Passing over or mistreating his people is passing over him, and people who seem hopeless may be drawn to him and enter heaven and must not be dismissed as unworthy of trust. Judgment takes place at his return on the last day when the King judges, which shows judgment belongs to the Lord and is not a mandate for religious prosecution or persecution.
Cruelty done to his servants is counted as cruelty done to him, for when people hurt his children they hurt him in the person of his saints. God sees and records every act of injustice and oppression against them, hears the prayers of those imprisoned or enslaved, and will avenge their wrongs. Every wrong done to God's children is done to him in the person of his saints, so sharp practice, overreaching, extortion even in small matters, and every attempt to gain by another's ignorance, weakness or misfortune counts as done to him and is registered as fraud in heaven. What people do to his vulnerable least counts as done to him, applying to workers harmed by unjust wages and exploitative wealth, so those profiting from their suffering wrong him while restoring wages and acting justly toward young and old are earthly benefaction, and wrongdoers must answer to him as coming Judge for harmed lives. He identifies himself with people in need, so the poor neighbor's hardship and a boy's account of his family being cheated show neglect, low wages and injustice toward the poor are offenses against him.
Even when rich men do not mean to oppress but seek only their own interests and regard resulting suffering with indifference as deplorable but unavoidable, God regards injustice to the needy and poor as done to himself and will remember his children and the wrong done them. What is done to the least and humblest is done to God, who regards injustice suffered by the poor and desires the rich to pay attention to each poor person. He identifies himself with the weakest and lowest, so what is done to even the least of his brethren is done to him, making every person's life and rights sacred and not only those of kings or those clothed with authority. Kindness or contempt toward those society treats as least is shown to him, so a Black woman is neighbor and sister, greeting her with kindness honors him while refusing to speak to her wrongs one of God's family, condemning racial prejudice. Acts of kindness and practical help to the most overlooked or needy are done to him, and the good Samaritan illustrates the duty, for compassion and mercy across social and racial hostility fulfill human kindness and receive his approval.
Voting to license liquor sale, which takes bread from the hungry, is harm done to his least brethren, and at judgment people are reckoned by actions not merely prayers. Wrongdoing against the poor and weak through corrupt practices is betrayal of him who identifies with them, so earning a family's bread that way does not truly support them but degrades the doer and harms lives and virtue undermined. Harming and degrading poor and weak people through such wrongdoing betrays him, and food and clothing cannot make up for loss of moral integrity, good example and faithful care. Disrespecting even the least of God's servants is serious because treatment of them is treatment of God, applying to those gathered for worship where the place is for that time the Father's house and worshipers should respect everyone's feelings. He so identifies himself with his people that God cannot be excluded from any transaction where his children's rights are concerned, spreading his hand as shield over everyone serving him in sincerity, so to wound even the humblest disciple is to smite the hand holding the sword of justice.
Practical Service Today
Doing good to those around is the same as doing it for Jesus, so giving a needy father a warm overcoat for winter, using a carriage to give a sick poor member an outing, feeding clothing loving and sheltering a poor child, and bringing provisions to a family made needy by sickness are received as done to him.
Sharing a Christmas meal with poor or neglected children is like entertaining Jesus himself, and whatever is given to enlighten clothe and feed those in every nation hungering and thirsting after righteousness is a present to the King himself.
Imitating the wise men by bringing gifts to Christ on his birthday rather than to one another brings his commendation for feeding the hungry, giving drink, taking in the stranger, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and coming to the imprisoned, and remembering his needy cause while good can still be done will cause him to remember givers at his coming before the night when no man can work.
What is done for poor and needy children is done for Christ who hears their rapture and thanks, including bringing ragged hungry children into a warm bright home, clothing them with jackets frocks caps shoes and mittens, giving toys candies and books from a Christmas tree, feeding them at a rich table, sharing gifts and honoring them as guests, which calls for giving up desired gifts and luxuries and brings perfect blessedness and inexpressible joy because it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Providing a Christmas dinner to a poor lonely widow, a dying invalid child, a poor self-supporting working girl, and an orphan with unkind guardians is ministry to Christ bringing glowing faces and happy hearts, angelic joy in the home, and keener enjoyment of blessings.
Using money to give poor boys an outing instead of selfish fireworks pleasure is doing it to Christ, and paying the way home for a boy with a withered leg and his brother is duty and right while wasting money for self-gratification is loss, with Christ guiding the right choice through conscience kept awake in prayer.
Generous yearly gifts of large sums to maintain orphan homes for helpless children are remembered by God and meet Christ's test, for the righteous serve without knowing when they feed the hungry, give drink, take in the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the sick and come to the imprisoned.
Sewing and making clothing for orphans, taking the poor into one's own house, making a home for the homeless, and giving donations and practical help to support such homes count as done to Christ, glorify God, help children form Christian character, and make the helper partaker of blessing.
Care for people in need is done to Christ, applied to feeding clothing sheltering and educating orphaned and homeless children and giving up luxury for their good with eternal reward, to giving toward the Mountain Rest Home relieving missionary children which he will recognize in the day of rewards, and to kindness to the least fortunate where even a cup of cold water is remembered and children should be taught to sacrifice.
Welcoming orphans into a home with affection, patient instruction and suitable work rather than as slaves is service to him, and receiving homeless parentless children brings burdens and difficulties that teach love and forbearance in answer to his suffering and patience, for any kindness to even the least little ones is kindness to Jesus.
What is done or left undone for the lambs of the flock is done or left undone for him, and at his soon return he will inquire what was done to save them, applying especially to motherless and fatherless children of God-fearing parents who desired training in truth rather than turning over to worldly relatives indifferent or opposed, so that indifference and neglect of their care training and practical necessities contradicts profession of expecting his soon return.
Caring for children and other weak people by soothing sorrows and keeping them from falling is precious to the King and honored in heaven, and a mother's patient self-forgetting care in leading children away from harm and helping them grow, though in a small narrow wearisome life unknown to the world making childish hearts light, is work for the Lord brought as jewels to be called by name at judgment and heaven's door among earth's greatest and noblest.
Care for even one little one is service to Christ, so a mother training her own children to live the Christ-life shares blessedness of doing the Father's will, and parents and teachers shaping character should work tenderly and wisely in partnership with him.
Harming his little ones through impatient angry punishment is harm done to him, for children are among the least of his brethren.
Care for needy people counts as care for Christ, applied to providing warm clothing for poor children including needy children in one's own household, so that seeking destitute children while leaving one's own cold neglects the very need commended.
Helping children lacking clothing and needing immediate help is service to him, raising whose duty it is to provide and where help should come from.
Lifting a poor thinly clad hungry little girl over a muddy crossing, walking with her safely, listening to her story and caring for her need is done to him, and the least include such needy children and their poor overworked underpaid sewing mothers earning pennies, unable to pay rent or eat enough, giving the child the big slice while going without.
Acts of mercy to needy people are done to him, so welcoming homeless people is welcoming the Lord and refusing is refusing him, while receiving and caring for strangers evidences love and turning away a humble disciple turns away the Master, done to do good not for payment, even to people of little worth in imitation of God's kindness to the unworthy.
He identifies with the weary sick and poor stranger so that a withheld kindness such as a ride is withheld from him and owed to him, measured not by earthly law but by his kingdom's law, standing charged with interest in God's book until judgment when entrance requires such debts paid, and those neglecting while living for worldly gain lose share in the eternal home and treasure.
Hospitality and kindness to his people for his sake are counted as to him, he records its expense, and those welcoming fellow believers are recognized as worthy of special blessings, while a home opened to feed clothe and shelter the poor forlorn and wanderer becomes God's house bringing blessing, whereas a large home kept for self and display remains merely one's own, calling for modest living and free time for this work.
Simple natural kindness to the poor and suffering counts as done to him, such as helping a forlorn aged needy stranger get warm, speaking kindly and respectfully, feeding with food and drink, sharing even meager fare freely and restfully, and coming near and making room even at personal cost rather than withdrawing, while failing to welcome a lonely stranger in church is failure to serve him.
Kindness and hospitality to a stranger, welcoming the homeless in his name, and giving a tired hungry stranger food rest and fellowship because of shared faith are counted as kindness to him and are Christlike acts of hospitality and help on the way.
Kindness or neglect toward needy brethren is toward him, so welcoming an old poor stranger and giving a place to hear the gospel honors him while refusal brings shame, and welcoming and feeding a weary hungry traveler and comforting clothing taking in and cleaning an abandoned orphaned child bring hope and blessing, whereas turning a troubled wanderer away may remove opportunity to hear of help and salvation.
Receiving a poor man at table is receiving Jesus himself present in the asker, so feeding the poor and lowest takes priority over private spiritual vision, and turning the needy away is turning him away, while caring for the wounded even at cost of cherished desire brings joy and peace.
He comes seeking entrance in persons needing care, so denying sympathy to a hurt child, neglecting a sick neighbor desiring a visit, and answering with anger even when busy with housework denies him, while even a cup of cold water in his name is given to him, and patiently setting aside wishes as in care for a grandmother, giving first strawberries to a dying child as offering to God, and care leading to sensing Jesus present in storm exemplify this.
He keeps promise to come by coming in disguise as needy sufferers, as a rain-drenched beggar with bruised feet needing shoes, a sorrow-worn burdened old woman needing food and steadying, and a lost afraid child needing milk and leading home, answering at day's end that three times he came to the door and his shadow was on the floor.
The ragged beggar at the door may be of noble birth or an angel, so appearance is no reason to turn away, and sharing cup and crust, giving old garments, weeping with misery and taking the stranger's hand is ministering to him lowly walking in beggar guise with the hungry thirsty poorly clothed sorrowful, done without knowing and answered with meek surprise at judgment and tender reply.
Feeding the hungry, giving drink, sheltering and clothing the stranger, tending the wounded and standing by the condemned even at risk are done to him later revealed as Savior, becoming a memorial bringing peace, so those not ashamed to stand by him need not fear.
Watching for his promised coming is fulfilled in day-long service where he comes three times in such forms though no visible coming is seen by nightfall, as rescuing a half-frozen peddler warmed and fed, taking in a destitute woman warmed fed dried and clothed with one's own coat, and reviving an unconscious frozen child with long labor and warm milk and bread to contentment, each being Christ visited.
He seeks hospitality in guise of the sick and suffering so comforting the least is comforting him and failing is failing him with blessing lost even when sin is pardoned, amid terrible poverty in cities and elsewhere, and he himself comes asking help through the least crossing personal wishes and plans, where serving brings sweet peace and approval and refusing to protect money or self-chosen plans denies him which tithes graces and outward consistency cannot make up, for God tests at self-interest to teach his will not self-will.
He asks help through a needy little one such as a poor orphaned stranger with no claim, so taking in and providing is doing it for him while sending away to keep earnings for family and plan refuses him even with tithe-paying and consistent life, and even if widow and orphan prosper outwardly the loss falls on the refuser.
He passes among people in worn form of humble followers present though not discerned, so giving shelter rest washing of feet and anointing care through them ministers to him, while failure turns him away to seek resting place among other hearts and lands to whom the designed benediction will go.
He does not dwell far as king of a remoter star listening to homage from selfish fear but here amidst the poor blind bound and suffering, living today as life of life in works done and prayers prayed, present among the sick suffering and sorrowful even when unrecognized, exposing imagining one would have welcomed him past while neglecting now, with worship as mercy not sacrifice and book church and day as means not masters.
Compassion to a sick elderly traveler as one would to Jesus is service to him, for he is present in the suffering poor, the bereaved woman needing comfort and shelter, and the weary servant, so failing leaves him unattended, while sympathy aid or relief to a poor servant, struggling church, hungry beggar, widow or neglected child for his sake, and rescuing a traveler, giving a coat and saving a child, are service to the Master.
Jesus is hungry in every hungry person, so feeding him means giving food to the poor along hedges slums Shanty Town tenement lofts and cellars, and helping homeless hungry ragged sick men down in winter is right, belonging to those inheriting the kingdom prepared from the foundation as they did as he did.
Jesus is found in the homeless child pleading for bread love and care, and feeding clothing and caring is feeding clothing and caring for him as Lord in obedience, part of small return owed alongside tithe and offering with eternal life as reward.
Feeding the hungry and saving dying famine sufferers is done to him, so letting starve rather than give a tiny daily sum refuses him bread, requiring the wealthy to open purses, hear cries, give bread and use distress to give physical relief and spiritual truth.
Sending relief to famine-stricken India puts his sentiments into sympathetic deeds, the same work he did on earth and commanded, and so-called Christian powers should help poor people in China and other lands instead of going with sword and death, which would uplift.
Suffering representatives cry in cold hunger and thirst and must be heard and answered, and saying Let be and leaving calls to the unsympathizing refuses him as no loving hand gave him the cup when he thirsted, for what is left undone for the least is left undone for him.
He counts what is done for the poor in cheerless houses lacking barest necessities as done to himself, calling for carrying sunshine by relieving want and pleading praying hoping he be retained, and likewise for millions in heathen lands in superstition idolatry and sin, millions of women in bondage in India, and dying children through neglect, so that consecrating needless gifts of Christendom would bring a wave of light proving it more blessed to give.
Acts of mercy feeding giving drink welcoming sheltering clothing caring for the wounded and visiting or defending a prisoner even at risk are done to him though appearing an unknown stranger, remembered by him, so the faithful need not fear.
Comforting a neglected child, tending wounds and helping learn illustrates unrecognized service welcomed into the kingdom with surprise that ordinary compassion counts to the King, and caring for a weary mother and baby serves one of the least calling for unselfish care not looking down on difficult lives.
Kindness to the vulnerable such as giving roses to a little cripple counts as to him, but it counts only when given when needed rather than postponed or merely intended, as village failure to help a needy child shows.
Kindness to needy overlooked people is kindness to him, and a poor lonely child's death can be a missed opportunity to serve him by caring.
Kindness to a suffering person such as a poor afflicted former soldier is kindness to him meeting clear duty and honoring Jesus while turning away fails to receive him, and greater generosity to entertainers than to the sufferer shows preferring entertainment and overlooking him in the needy.
Kindness between needy people counts as to him, as earlier help from one woman to another and later aid returned, and giving up a cap for a sister to stand on and sending her in first can mark a hero in God's sight at the mission reminding that serving hungry cold children serves Jesus.
Remembering the verse made one willing to do hard work to earn money for a sick destitute man, and sharing what one has such as a comforting note or clothing without neglecting the sorrowful or poor is giving it to him.
Giving needed clothing to a poor brother is service as though Jesus were in his place even when poverty arose through hardship or lost opportunity reflecting charity and love for truth, and giving food and kind word to a hungry weary mother and children serves one of the least pleasing God and bringing joy before his throne even when onlookers sneer.
He sees when members ignore a poor plainly dressed faithful member and counts it as done to himself though she is unmoved with life hid with God, marking the slight to confront in judgment with inasmuch as done or left undone to one of the least.
When needy followers are slighted Jesus is slighted, so Christians must treat the poor with courtesy sympathy and compassion without favoring the wealthy, for the needy remain dear though lacking goods, their lack not lessening worth, and at judgment rank and wealth do not change the case but character purity nobility and love decide, after the pattern of sun on just and unjust.
Freezing the poor out or treating them merely as objects of pity and patronage goes against his teaching that kindness to them is kindness to him.
Seeing the poor cold and hungry as fathers mothers brothers and sisters makes personal the lesson that kindness to them is kindness to him.
Taking an aged infirm widowed childless poor believer into the home and caring with sympathy forbearance and self-sacrificing love is doing it to him, bringing revival to worship, holy influences, health peace joy through angels, double ministry, and the blessing of him ready to perish causing the widow's heart to sing.
Caring for an invalid needing water with loving attention is service to the Master not lesser than distant missionary work, for she is one of his own, and compassion to little ones is privilege of serving Jesus.
A missionary's care for a drunken rejected man including tending his body in humiliating unpleasant circumstances was personal service to him and part of seeking salvation.
Faithful patient care for a poor crippled suffering brother, sharing few comforts without complaint for years as mother and sister through deep snow and frost in hard self-appointed tasks, ministers to one of his least, a privilege to thank for and protect even when others suggest the poorhouse.
Caring for sick sisters otherwise left unsupported is service for the Lord's sake, and caring for absent workers' parents by bearing physical burdens counts as done to them and to the Lord.
Caring for worn-out missionaries needing rest by providing recovery expresses his love, and supporting pioneer workers lacking comforts is duty and privilege not to be postponed till too late.
A small act to his workers such as giving a cup of water to strengthen and cheer laborers is counted and remembered as done for him with blessing.
Caring for his messengers counts as caring for him returning blessing and reward, so welcoming workers, sharing hospitality, giving means and carrying onward as they spread the message will not lose reward.
Charity to suffering exiles was regarded as service to the Saviour in his saints, and helping those proclaiming truth including providing needs brings blessing and joy of serving him, with private loving counsel restoring an erring brother remembering dealing with Christ in his saints, and every act for salvation and word comforting his children for his sake brought to light as joy, while silver or gold to spread the gospel given freely is given to him as jewels, and helpers bringing gospel to the needy are recognized as his helpers at his return in glory.
Failing to provide for his ministers his ambassadors devoted to service, and neglecting even his humblest child, neglects him.
Doing for the worthy poor according to Isaiah 58 means covering the naked, relieving present distress, bringing the cast out to houses, visiting and praying to awaken interest bring souls to him and prepare for judgment leaving good impression, with justice and not being imposed upon, waiting till cast out for truth to show who are the Lord's poor rather than taking in indiscriminately those only promising Sabbath-keeping for homes.
Taking in people cast out for accepting truth and feeding clothing and helping them from willing love is practical service especially before his coming when the third angel's message is proclaimed, keeping the doer unspotted, with every self-denying act counted and rewarded as ruler over many, deciding fitness for eternal joys by whether Jesus was served in the hungry stranger naked and sick, proving discipleship, for he places himself on the poor man's side having joined himself to humanity by creation and redemption, and what is done for man is done for God.
What is done for believers manifesting his disposition by leaving all and suffering loss for unpopular truth is done to him through recognizing worth, receiving into house, interesting oneself, encouraging and helping by word and act especially when poor and little esteemed, while excusing neglect and failing to appreciate help or move others needs forgiveness sorrow and deeper consecration, with no reparation after death and sleep.
Acts of kindness to brethren including sending papers and books and welcoming and providing for travelers to meetings gladly and mutually count as done to him, with those having plenty bearing burdens of weaker brethren rather than resenting.
When a servant aids a fellow servant in distress Jesus counts it as done to him and the King rewards.
Serving even the least disciple counts as service to him, giving reason to serve one another humbly and lovingly as in foot-washing.
Giving a brother a cup of cold water is giving it to him and piercing a brother with a sword pierces him, and giving a cup because one belongs to God is regarded as giving to him in his identification with disciples.
Doing good for even the least counts as done for him, including setting a safe example and refraining from harmful practices for their sake in temperance in the home.
Loving service to needy fellow believers in his name is service to him, and even humble commonplace duties can express it reflecting his gentle patient spirit.
Helping a sorrowing struggling brother with kind word deed or friendly token serves him and wins the Father's favor, for all mankind are brethren in one universal brotherhood.
Care toward even the least counts as done to him, calling Christians to bear one another's burdens with tenderness patience sympathy and support.
Every Christian is called to help every soul heavenward as far as possible, especially speaking hope and courage to the oppressed struggling and fainting instead of harsh thoughtless words wounding and driving from him, testing what is in the heart watched by heaven for first love, with no believer given his place to judge or oppress.
Helping the wounded discouraged or in error with sympathy not judgment tests whether divine love is active, and followers must help strengthen and encourage those struggling against sin with pity not indifference revenge or harshness, for failure is recorded as wrong against him.
Seeking the least with patience and self-denial to find the strayed and bring back to his fold is service to him, applied to seeking the lost and wandering, comforting the sorrowful and dying, strengthening the weak in faith, and caring for the sick and thirsty, for following him means serving people in need.
Believers must linger a little before the Father's sunshine to call distant wanderers with patient love, follow sheep on mountains, cheer sad weary loved ones, tend lonely sick, teach wounded widowed hearts to sing, shelter orphan tears, feed pining hungry with willing hand, minister to prisoners behind gloomy walls, fetch perishing sinners into open gates, and go to the dying with Jesus' name in power, watching one hour before crowning harps palms hallelujah and thanksgiving.
Serving him means loving the least and weakest not only the lovely ripe easy to admire, nursing the diseased and sickly, binding wounds, bearing the weak in faith to where he pleads, driving evil from the oppressed half-despairing, cherishing even the almost intolerable as a nurse her charge, learned by looking to him, requiring patience self-denial fortitude and Godlike virtues forgetting tribulation for a crown and a soul rescued from pit and clay.
Real love is not selfish affection confined to relatives friends or country but Christ-like love caring for the hungry forsaken stranger with solicitude given one's own child, pure in loving without regard for object because service to the least is service to him.
Serving people in need is serving him, so a woman can see a sister in every woman needing her, a brother in every man needing her, and her own child in every little child, responding with pity tenderness and open heart.
How people treat the humblest and weakest matters beyond the victim, for wrong to them is wrong to all and care for right must extend to all, and loyalty to God is shown by defending them and being true to man.
His footprints are found wherever people need consolation in sickness poverty and crowded city streets, so following him means using words money influence abilities time and strength to help others, and everyone has some opportunity.
Honoring helping and blessing his brethren is what he wants as service to himself, and love for God and neighbor calls for active efforts with true motive to bless and save others.
Helping a needy distressed person with comfort shared burdens and encouragement is service to him, and neglecting is failure to serve him.
Work done for Christ to help less fortunate people is regarded as done for him, and turning aside to care for one distressed person is service to himself.
Serving people in need is serving him, and opportunities to improve the fallen physically mentally and morally are opportunities to work for God strengthening character for eternity while neglect weakens it, not to be left to somebody else but each doing own work and battles with reward to servers not ease-choosers, to be practiced now not waiting to be grown wealthy or great, stretching deeds words and gifts to more households, with helpers of the needy receiving reward.
Followers must value every soul regardless of circumstance or rank, sympathize with the weak and poor, and help the needy and oppressed as fully as they can with personal care not mere charity, observing acts and spirit, feeding both neighbor and Christ by feeling suffering, and helping for good's sake not gain reward appearances or to persuade beliefs, for he suffers with every need.
Practical kindness such as kind word sympathy encouragement friendship or material aid represents him, and neglecting those opportunities fails to serve him and loses influence for God.
Helping his needy people is helping him, so hope of reward cannot be separated from practical care, and one seeking salvation selfishly without help or comfort has not lived its lesson.
Acts of mercy to people in need are regarded as to him and neglect as neglecting him to be judged, so a heart shaped by his mind shows sympathy in self-denying deeds, requiring learning whether neighbors suffer or prosper and hastening with willing hands to give water for thirst and shade for weariness, with thoughtless neglect of those fainting close by as guilt needing forgiveness lest he disown and send away.
What people do for fellow beings they do for him, so love for him is measured by love for others with sacrifice to bring good news to those not hearing, and acts for the poor needy sick lost and neglected show him present with sufferers in comforting the sorrowful and strengthening the weak.
Helping the poor hungry sick grieving widowed orphaned and enslaved as neighbors with food comfort shelter and practical help is service to him, and the Lord has special care for sufferers in poverty disease and grief little known to churches, calling his people to seek them out.
The poor degraded and lost are brothers and sisters whose claims must not be shirked with account to be given, and the rich should bring joy to the poor as service to him.
In judgment the glorified Christ with all power puts the poor in his own place so what is done for them is done for him, making a bond between rich and poor bidding the rich seek out and minister and giving the poor comfort from God no respecter of persons.
The poor are placed among people to call forth sympathy love and benevolence and develop character, with Christ making their needs and sorrows his own in caring for the hungry thirsty and suffering.
The poor represent him so giving and helping with means and influence to share needed truth is service to him blessing others and cultivating self-denial making the giver more like him who became poor, with claim for alms freely and gladly for his sake.
In execution of judgment relieving the poor will be accounted as done to Jesus and neglecting them in poverty neglects him in their persons, giving the poor especially the worthy a claim testing the church to manifest benevolence, requiring favoring them in business by overpaying rather than exploiting cramped position with broad sympathizing hearts without waiting till perfect, for means are lent by God to bless them.
Wealth is entrusted as capital to be used for others including feeding hungry clothing naked educating orphans and helping widows, and neglecting is neglecting him in his saints.
Wealth is held in trust from God and should be used to feed hungry clothe naked employ poor help needy and support his cause rather than stored or spent on pride and extravagance, and God blesses faithful stewards showing compassion while the poor will stand in judgment against prideful spending amid hunger and nakedness, with needy representing him and response cultivating self-denial drawing into his likeness to true riches.
Property entrusted by God is returned by using it to help those in need, and giving to afflicted brethren is regarded as giving to him.
Giving wealth to the poor for his sake is giving and lending to him on good security, storing treasure in heaven in the bank of heaven absolutely secure never lost to be paid back, unlike earthly banks that can fail leaving owners poor, counted by the blessed Master as Judge of the universe as done to himself.
Giving what is not needed to his needy followers is giving it to him, and treasure so used is carried beyond death unlike hoarded or abused wealth which cannot help but follows as evidence at judgment.
Consecration of wealth means supplying necessaries such as fuel food clothing furniture and medicines instead of lavishing on flowers music rich food and luxuries while they lack, for great wealth carries responsibility toward the starving poor whose labor helped earn it and to whom it belongs in justice, requiring kneeling prayer for pardon for thoughtless selfish frivolity.
Feeding the hungry and clothing the naked are service to the Lord, for wealth is his trust for the kingdom and help to those in need of which account must be given.
Using abundance to meet the poor's necessities is the stewardship stewards must continue until the day of reward, for care to needy brethren counts as service to him.
Giving means to build up his cause does not enrich the Lord who owns all gold silver cattle and treasures of other worlds, but by his accounting he turns the gift to someone in need and counts what is done for another as done to himself crediting the giver on the heavenly ledger, so earthly treasure properly used becomes heavenly treasure transferred by caring for his poor orphans aged widow and unfortunate, a Christian duty privilege and essential hope for heaven.
Giving to afflicted brethren and relieving suffering institutions is regarded as giving to him and placed in his hands, and even a small gift is accepted.
Giving to the poor and needy is not lost but a temporal gift become eternal reward and fruitful, including giving up one's own gifts to provide coal and flour for sufferers which he repays as done to himself.
Deeds of love such as clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, giving water, dividing with the poor and supplying a brother's need are done to him, seen and fully repaid, so by giving the giver best receives with little multiplied, want kept away, thirst prevented even in famine, scattered seed yielding increase, all given in faith supplied again with blessings beside the door making the liberal soul prosperous, blessing giver as well as neighbor, honoring him, returning through another's generosity, bringing joy and new spiritual start as with food and firewood for a widow, and bringing health since benevolence blesses while selfishness causes invalidism.
Every small gift given gladly and freely even from scanty supply will prove blessing and bring just reward though seeming to float outward in gale and slow, for angel eyes see its destination and what is cast out in kindness is found after many days.
Giving should be sincere heartfelt to honor God not merely to be seen or for advantage, freely with personal sympathy with worth in love not price, so even a cup of cold water for his sake pleases him, even giving thirsty water to those not appearing little ones when done for his sake and able to keep from drink, and even a child's humble effort with kind words smile or flower is recognized as done to him and counted good in the heavenly record with helping the poor lonely visiting sick comforting mourners.
Kindness help and loving service to people in need without regard to creed is counted as done to him, brings blessing and gives life lasting value, so those unable to show affection in person can serve by relieving the needy, including caring for the lowest most neglected dirty unloved children knowing nothing of love as showing God's pity, clothing destitute feeding hungry providing beds, organized consecrated work in Bible readings visiting sick relieving poor and evangelistic meetings bringing improved spiritual life, feeding hungry expressing sympathy, smallest acts nearby giving little guiding children, and hands made beautiful by labor above jeweled unused hands with worth revealed in heaven.
Even small deeds matter when love gives them worth, so helping the poor and sick brings richness and strength to the server.
Even the smallest act done for Jesus is precious, including helping nearby, giving little, and guiding children to the Saviour.
Hands made beautiful by labor care and blessing others are valued above jeweled unused hands, with worth revealed in heaven.
Kindness to even the least is done to him and even the smallest kindly act to a person is approved, extending also to kindness toward animals.
Kindness to the least includes ordinary thoughtful acts such as making room for someone standing, for true religion is daily unselfish care and brotherhood not only great sacrifices or religious thoughts.
Unselfish good actions done not for the doer's joy but as sacrifices of ease so others may be happier are accepted as done to him, a heavenly grace purer and nobler than outward beauty belonging to heaven's glad themes.
Carrying out his instruction brings love and unity by building up one another in most holy faith and lightening sorrows manifesting his love instead of tearing down with bitterness and evil-speaking but speaking of heaven, and help to the least including soothing words comforting the sick and ministering to wants is blessed motive for daily labor calling every weak believer to ask what he can do for Jesus and answering his call.
The daily work commanded is soothing aching hearts, wiping bitter tears, healing wounds with love, cheering the weary, feeding the beggar, clothing the destitute unshod, watching with the bereaved over the dead, and visiting the sick shut-in in solitude, and leaving hungry unfed destitute unclothed mourners alone and sick yearning comes from being too occupied with self to ease want forgetting what God sent his people to do.
To live is not to toil for gain, live for selfish ends, revel in pleasure, or absorb mind in knowledge while ignoring nearby wrong, but to do devoted heart and brain work for others while time lasts drying tears soothing distress facing pain and wrong leading erring to light saving blessing and giving succor to every brother's needs by noble thoughts words and deeds making the world better.
Self-denying personal good to neighbors makes a true missionary, requiring hearts warmed by love shown not merely by giving money to tract and missionary cause but by personal trying effort such as earnest conversation and giving truth to read, testing against covetousness worldly-mindedness and soul-ruining love of money-making.
Caring for the poor and needy is labor for him and part of missionary work and pure undefiled religion, requiring looking up the worthy poor not waiting till they beg, unselfish interest, becoming eyes to blind feet to lame father to poor searching out unknown cause, often helping poor help themselves, serving one needy brother at a time who does God's will, and giving boys honest work food and chance rather than condemning.
Caring for his least by feeding clothing sheltering and visiting is service recognized at judgment, calling for seeking worthy poor with unselfish interest including helping them help themselves as vital pure religion, with seeking the lost sheltering comforting the neglected and helping the poor as serving him.
True religion is active kindness rather than long prayers and meditation, shown in everyday helpful things for neighbors such as reading while they work, cooking, hanging clothes, helping make clothing, teaching children to sing, encouraging church attendance, and easing women's home work, which is doing it to him as real proper religion.
Unselfish ministry to wretched homes with no earthly praise or pay makes the worker his messenger, so entering to minister to sick feed hungry and clothe naked lets sufferers see God cares, touches hearts, kindles gratitude and faith, turns from evil, prepares for the Word, and makes the rescued grateful workers lifting others who cannot rise alone, urging beyond thoughts and words to practical soul-saving work.
Organized consecrated work for others in prayer study and service including Bible readings visiting sick relieving poor and evangelistic meetings is done to him and brings improved spiritual life blessing the cause.
Doing practical good requires trained organized ministry to all classes with physicians and ministers uniting, ministering to sick poor, treating simple diseases, preparing healthful foods, health schools and lectures on health temperance and Bible truth, cottage meetings Bible readings literature leading to Christ, and training members including nurses Bible workers and ordinary members for self-supporting service in missions and training-schools.
These ordinary opportunities feeding clothing visiting the sick are home missionary work, to be done in ordinary home life for children neighbors and friends not limited to distant fields, for the verse means not only going far to heathen lands but home fields where small work such as word prayer tear smile sweetening toil cheering hearts sharing joys controlling thoughts and reflecting love counts, and even poor weak timid ones without means talent time or tact can receive welcome for God weighs heart and motives and uses weakest for noblest work, while neglect not only conspicuous wickedness is condemned.
Serving him includes kindness gentleness forgiveness and caring without putting self first, so even a smile or word of courage at home or far is charity to him giving power to ministry and calling for tender Spirit-shaped hearts, including giving food money clothing, watching beside sickbed, helping overburdened, encouraging fainthearted, kindly correcting erring with promise of repayment, teaching Sabbath class and caring for spiritual charge, while feeding and drink also picture higher care for spiritually destitute whose neglect follows practical neglect, belonging to the heavenly court's commending decision.
Words of cheer to one whose soul is sick and courage low are regarded as spoken to him, and kindness and mercy to sinners even in word look or smile can turn a life toward good as his humble friendship sought the lost, with practical care visiting sick feeding hungry giving drink and clothing.
Cheer comfort and help to the poor and suffering have the Master's smile, bringing untold pleasure for it is more blessed to give, and the King stoops to crown humble service such as visiting the helpless bringing food and singing at cottage bedside to relieve suffering with approval.
Sheltering clothing feeding and helping others will be welcomed at judgment as blessed of the Father, even kindness to the undeserving remembered, such as giving water to the fevered, helping the straying or falling, and sheltering clothing feeding the starving.
Loving care for those in need and gone astray seeking and cheering sufferers is recognized at his coming as done to him, and the life record may meet his benediction.
Kindness such as giving a cup of cold water receives reward while wronging the least insults the Lord, applying not only to charity and teaching but to ordinary business and public conduct where Christians as representatives should act honestly for his honor.
Kindness help care and loving service to people in need especially the least without regard to creed is counted as done to him with promised blessing including renewal making the aged feel young fulfilled whenever met even when not thinking of reward, as in house-to-house work with present truth, and includes caring for lowest neglected children, clothing destitute feeding hungry providing beds, organized work, feeding expressing sympathy, smallest acts nearby, and beautiful hands of labor.
At the bar of the great white throne when alone for doom with living and dead summoned, kindness to his brethren becomes a witness speaking, with widow's prayer orphan's blessing struggler's testimony lonely cheered and chorus of crushed declaring he gave all he could, and little words thoughts and timely help sown in waste corners gathered to surprise the modest soul, even for those bound with little store and frail hand doing best with sympathy and courage among poor weak neighbors.
Acts done in his name or for his cause even for the least are counted as done to him, remembered and lovingly rewarded at the end, and this prospect ennobles character.
At his return the King promises recognition to servers of others, supporting faithful missionary work such as visiting the sick encouraging through prayer and teaching as joyful privilege.
Heaven is found on earth in serving him by helping a sick needy believer, as buying and bringing food and fuel to a destitute mother and sick children, speaking for him, reading the twenty-third psalm and praying lets the giver see heaven before finishing.
Helping people in need with money so teachers can bring salvation and better life is counted as help to him, and helpers may meet in his kingdom those reached through giving.
Helping people in need counts as service to him and is part of the final judgment standard, applied to caring for orphans widows and others needing homes or work.
God made his people stewards of means and rich grace pointing to souls bound in superstition and error especially Black people in the South, so liberality at the yearly offering to maintain teachers opening Scriptures uplifting deep poverty and making efficient helpers is accepted as service to him, and he accepts good to the poor suffering and oppressed as done to himself making stewards responsible, applied to giving for work among colored people in the South especially the yearly offering on the first Sabbath in October as God-given opportunity to extend the message rapidly.
Service rendered even in humblest form is service to him, so supporting work among colored people is service to the Lord.
Serving needy people as his representatives with spiritual food and clothing counts as serving him, and missionary work giving and sacrifice express love for him which God will not forget, including supporting Oakwood's students and faculty with gifts and prayer to hasten his coming.
Helping needy followers is service to him, calling Christians especially in America comparatively free from war strain to relieve distressed fellow believers such as persecuted starving Christians in Persia.
Helping people eagerly seeking a Bible but unable to obtain one counts as service to him, and serving him includes helping others receive truth through papers and tracts so those enjoying benefits share them, with sympathy and benevolence to the oppressed and suffering.
Bringing people truth by visiting, reading the Bible and religious books, and helping light spread are labors of love for his people even the least counted as done to him and richly rewarded.
What is done for his least is done for him, applied to self-denying support for people starving for truth by giving up comforts not merely abundance to bring light, and liberality supplying destitute hungry souls with bread of life makes co-workers with him whose gospel is for the poor without money, to be reckoned in the day of accounting.
When circumstances prevent active missionary work, honest labor, giving according to means and prayers for the field are recognized as missionary service, so supporters share the reward at final accounting.
Giving up personal comfort to support a missionary's work is service to him in his needy people.
He comes through appeals to support his cause including weekly Systematic Benevolence, so those appeals must not be ignored or refused, for helping followers in need is helping him.
Giving or lending money so creditors of Battle Creek College can be paid is service to him for which great joy awaits when he comes in glory.
Helping others for the Lord's sake as in supporting sisters one is not required to keep is service done to him.
Doing good to one of the least in need calls for inasmuch charities such as finding and helping bedridden old women crippled children and other individual cases as one right way to invest the tenth alongside gospel work among immigrants in the West freedmen in the South and the heathen world, making with praying and praising a happy Christian nearer to each other and the Lord.
Sharing God's blessings with the poor and sick is serving him and a test of thanksgiving, so giving to the poor and visiting the sick and needy showing gratitude is to be done continually not once a year.
Relieving suffering of war-stricken people especially children women and invalids is service to him, and each should do what can to ease distress.
Serving people in need is service to him showing Jesus loves poor as well as rich and faith must show itself in care not merely buildings, illustrated by devoted work among lepers for his sake.
Relieving pain of even an infidel is work done for him and will be rewarded, since physical care is sacred point of contact opening way to spiritual help.
Caring for the poor in medical work including effort to save a sick woman's life and care in recovery is service done to him.
Caring for disadvantaged children and parents through Christian sympathy and teaching by personal voluntary work centered in him meets needs more truly than curfew laws.
Sheltering and helping a fugitive mother and daughters despite loss of home and property exemplifies service to him reflecting obedience to God's laws, accompanied by peace and heavenly treasure.
Kindness to those in need in gentle deeds and kind words are lasting treasures brought to light at judgment honored in heaven, and helping hungry lonely weak old neighbors may encourage toward the heavenly land, urgent because time will soon end.
Help to needy people nearby struggling alone discouraged fearful hungry cold feeble old burdened and weary counts as done to himself, requiring reaching hand sending aid putting hands under burdens speaking tenderly singing cheering soothing giving light guidance and kind word at once in the Lord's name because time flies and season soon past, by which a soul may be won.
What is done to one of his least is done to him, so a neighbor who can be cheered blessed or comforted may be one of the least and hands and words can grieve or defend soothe or encourage for which he will answer, calling followers in view of his coming and kingdom to visit neighbors speak of Jesus pray sing and seek the lost, and to remember a suffering believer in prayer and supply material needs as duty thoughtful of sufferers in preparation for his return.
Friendly helpful visits to neighbors are service to him bringing honor, requiring self-denial to put aside work and convenience to visit promptly especially newcomers lonely troubled and sick with help and comfort in his name, while neglecting when busy with own affairs shows lack of true love, and faithfulness in small neighborliness is faithfulness to him and professed truth.
The poor neighbor and family in need represent among his least calling for practical help and concern, including soothing words comforting the sick and ministering to wants, giving every weak believer motive to keep asking what he can do for Jesus.
Kindness to a person in need is kindness to him, calling for practical help offering hand encouragement guidance and sympathy rather than leaving to bear burden alone, even when the person is a sinner like oneself.
Service to the lowliest suffering is service to him present hungry and thirsty for human love, so seeking him means showing sympathy and love rather than looking only in distant sacred places, and sharing his Spirit learns to recognize him in others.
Jesus need not be sought far as pilgrim but is served by doing his Word, including giving bread to starving, holding back wayward youth, raising sorrowing head, and best of all spreading truth, as kissing his feet touching his hands and binding his wounded bleeding feet with loving hands.
He is recognized in followers when they embody his love doing good to wrongdoers, looking after sick prisoners and all in trouble, treating despised lowly kindly, counting one as good as another, befriending all and laboring sacrificially, so even an ignorant unbeliever watching daily can recognize him.
God answers prayer for guidance through a poor man in humble dress whose outstretched beggar hand is his messenger, so despising for rags and rudely turning away turns away God while receiving kindness receives God, calling to look beneath lowly appearance for the sent kind heart not passing human help while waiting for a glorious angel.
The blind elderly beggar represents one of the least to whom pearls are offered while many pass without helping, for what is done for people in need is done to him.
Visiting and comforting a lonely sick or grieving person, sharing food or books, reading Scripture and caring for a child are ways of serving him as kindness to people in need is kindness to him.
Visiting the sick and afflicted and giving to assist the poor is service to him, and refusing leaves one miserable sick at heart at variance with the world with nothing to cheer encourage or bring sunshine and warmth.
Kindness to people in need is kindness to him, so giving to charitable causes does not replace personal compassion, and refusing even a kind word to a beggar is unlike his tenderness.
Giving to humble weak poor and needy people is service to him, and gifts should teach children to care for those in need.
Service to even the least and most repulsive in love is sacred work not merely professional training or gain, and saving money to send as Christmas gift to societies helping others shows saving can serve generosity with God judging the heart.
Service in humility for even the least is service to him, calling followers to follow his example and present him through personal effort even going outside the camp bearing reproach, bringing the Spirit's teaching and leading.
Acts of mercy to the lowly and unfortunate are done to him revealing God's character, and a true king displays and keeps kingship by serving the poor.
Caring for needy followers is service to him, for those purchased by his blood he treats as children tenderly cared for entrusting the church with temporal and spiritual needs, and faithful living by this principle leads to commendation and welcome into his joy.
Those improving talents and doing faithful service in the vineyard will enter his joy and share glory when the universe witnesses presentation of the redeemed to the Father, which joy set before him for which he endured the cross is tasted even in humiliation when disciples are glorified as fruit of self-sacrifice, found in ministering to hungering and thirsting more gratifying than eating because benevolence was his soul's life, and made full in seeing saved souls in glory.
Spiritual gifts are bestowed to be increased by use and returned with interest through service building up the body in harmony which is salvation of souls, in which same work he himself is engaged and believers are co-laborers.
God estimates religion not by number or length of prayers or ceremonies but by treatment of fellow men made in his image and his property, each soul as precious as one's own for the same price paid, so mistrust and looking down does despite to God, and by the fixed principle as men treat others God will treat them love to God is proved only by love and just treatment to the seen brother.
He identifies with followers counting every service as done to him so love for brethren evidences conversion with none in light without it, and loving neighbor as self is proved by practical care received as done to himself in being as forgiving and ready to assist, rejoicing and comforting, warming cooling feeding clothing, standing by bedside ministering when sick, warning in danger, and gently leading the straying to Jesus, whose failure falls short of commandment.
Loving God includes loving fellow believers so evil speaking backbiting jealousy and envy are contrary preventing heartache when living in love, and being God's children is measured by sympathy and bearing with one another covering faults praying instead of criticizing shedding tears and patiently enduring as service outweighing songs verses monuments and money, to be joy and glory in pure light while harsh stones bring pity.
What is done to his people counts as done to himself, therefore applying to speech forbidding enjoyment of unfavorable remarks evil-speaking and backbiting, since the criticized may have as few faults and be true sincere, restraining sanctioning and turning conversation to commend some good trait.
Beyond obvious need, speaking disparagingly of those bearing his name injures them regarded as done to himself who sees tears and holds the speaker accountable.
He identifies so closely that every unkind word harsh remark and censuring statement against one of his children or anyone is counted as against himself, for all belong to God by creation and redemption loved infinitely died for invited to salvation to be won by love alone.
The way even the least disciples are treated is treatment of him, so wronging a fellow believer bears false witness against him who gave life for all, calling for just treatment guided by care one would wish from him setting self aside and identifying with brother.
What is done to even the least is done to him, so judging or reproaching wounds him and loving honors him, forbidding placing self on the judgment-seat to condemn publish defects and tear down but requiring building up in most holy faith, remembering own graver faults, blessing the erring not exposing, lightening sorrows, manifesting his love, and speaking wisdom imparting strength to the weak in faith, which if all obeyed would bring love and unity.
How one stands toward fellow believers is how one stands toward the Saviour, for spirit toward brethren declares spirit toward God, and none can be right with the Lord while rejecting or hating brethren.
What is done to even the least disciples is done to him, for he regards afflictions borne for his sake as his own feeling trials, therefore to be endured patiently without complaint even when some result from unfaithfulness.
He identifies with brethren on earth as representatives so treatment of them is treatment of him, and a true witness treats others as he would refusing retaliation, finding it better to suffer wrongfully than answer bearing false witness, trusting God to care for his own.
What is done to his disciples is treated as done to him, so treatment by those claiming Abraham reveals whether they truly do Abraham's works.
Jesus himself receives whatever is done to his brethren standing in place of friend or brother reading the mind, so sharp angry words wounding till tears, paying back in kind and gratifying turbid impulses are cruel treatment of him requiring every thought word and act toward others done over as unto him not men, while slighting or wounding one needing kindness wounds the Saviour affecting drawing or turning, and kindness encouragement and sacrifices of feeling or means to even the least are counted in heaven calling to forbearance good works avoiding offense neglect and sustaining his cause, with encouraging cheering words counted as spoken to him and practical help as ministering expressing love from grace.
Kindness to the Lord's servants is accepted as done to him and not forgotten, as the Shunammite's entertaining of Elisha preparing a room and refusing payment was accepted as service and rewarded with a son.
Kindness to even the least servants is kindness to him and refusing help refuses him, and even a cup of cold water when best one can offer is honored remembered and rewarded next only to giving directly, while neglecting in self-centered withholding faces judgment, for he identifies with suffering people and those bearing burdens like his.
Passing over his people can mean passing over him, since those regarded hopeless may be those he is drawing and some expected absent will be there, so it is better to risk trusting than fail to recognize him in his saints, with influence succeeding by believing and trusting for uplifting and saving.
Kindness to needy brethren counts as kindness to him, so caring for the sorrowful hungry weak or needing comfort serves and honors the King, while turning them away while preparing to welcome him fails to recognize him in them.
Turning away from suffering homeless ones giving no lamp of pity leaving to dreary lot, failing to refresh a thirsty foe, turning from upright deeds, burdening the toiler anew, and not guiding erring feet to peace and light says to the Saviour I know him not repeating Peter's sin loading the heart heavily while forgetting him.
Acts of kindness giving food or clothing welcoming the lonely and practical help count as done to him, and the same principle makes neglect unkind speech indifference and failure to care for the sick offenses against him, applying to ordinary conduct every day where nothing escapes notice with fitting reward to each.
Neglecting the afflicted neglects him, so service to people in need is essential and religious meetings and activity have little value when they are neglected, for practical deeds raising the fallen giving a helping hand and touching bitter need must join preaching even for a thousand Sabbaths and prayer by all, since the needy understand practice better than preaching.
Neglecting the hungry naked widow and fatherless for whom his gifts are meant withholds from him what should be given to be answered at judgment, calling to remember those lacking food or comfortable clothing and supply needs with God and cause first offerings to bring souls and parents teaching children by example on errands of love, while treatment of the poor matters with the poor standing against extravagant prideful spending amid hunger and nakedness, unmet temporal needs and grief from lack of care counted in heaven, failure to welcome a lonely stranger failing him, and care for sick and afflicted commended as bearing on salvation.
Neglecting slighting oppressing or failing to comfort the needy is neglecting him, and every hurt driving another to tears makes him suffer more than the hurt person, for caring for the weak poor despised and abandoned is care to him failing amid wealth, missing opportunity when help is possible, freezing out contrary to teaching, facing account for failing to provide a place to hear truth, and slighting slighting him calling for courtesy without favoring wealthy.
Neglecting the homeless sick and hungry while living in luxury and serving self neglects and dishonors him identifying with them, and words of reward expose selfishness condemning longing for praise without caring, though one distributing food and clothing may take comfort they will be spoken to her.
He identifies interest with suffering humanity so deeds of love and charity to sufferers count as to himself in feeding giving drink taking in clothing visiting sick and imprisoned for the least, condemning spending on extravagant display jewels superfluous clothing and needless ornaments while widows orphans poor afflicted hungry and naked want, to confront neglectful members in the day of God.
The final judgment before him whose perfect knowledge excludes fraud holds all responsible for right use of possessions, with the rich to help far more broadly than merely paying good wages, for what is done or refused to the least is done or refused to him, and every relievable pang of hunger squalor degradation and suffering refused will be charged and settled at his bar.
Concern for people in need must be shown through practical help such as food shelter and fair treatment rather than merely praying for them.
The judgment will examine treatment of those in need including non-relatives, so care for needy distressed people is service to him and neglect will be brought to account.
Tenderness and graciousness toward the sick oppressed and afflicted matter more than activity or zeal, and even small acts express love for him, while those overlooking others for greater deeds will be last and least and love and humility give first place in his kingdom.
The promise of welcome into the kingdom belongs to members who personally care for the poor, not to the church merely as body or institution acting in their place.
Doing good to needy servants by feeding clothing welcoming visiting and caring is doing good to him, and the young ruler could serve God and lay up heavenly treasure by serving the poor in such acts of love toward God.
Kindness to the least and most vulnerable is kindness to Jesus, so welcoming strangers in loneliness and need receives and serves him.
Helping and comforting the poor is service to him, and though soon taken by crucifixion disciples would always have the poor to help with assurance kindness was done to him.
Failing to love a brother is also failing to love God.
His appearing is the hope Christians profess love and long for, calling them to live with that appearing in view as center of religious life.
The soon coming of the King with heaven's armies to give every man according to work will reveal two classes of those who improved opportunities doing well ministering for his sake and those neglecting failing that ministry, so the Christian life means daily renouncing inclination putting on armor doing and daring for God subordinating all to saving souls consecrating all with intensity to win sinners about the Father's business in view of the hastening trial of every work, with final reward at his coming to those looking for and loving appearing.
Serving his least by feeding welcoming clothing caring for sick and imprisoned is the lived expression of understanding his coming joined to proclaiming the judgment-hour message, which will not move a careless generation unless lived.
The final settlement calls to practical care with acts to the least counting as to him, demanding unselfish concern for suffering children of God and motivating effective aid.
In the swiftly hastening day when all appear for recompense for deeds and good left undone that might have been done, what is done or left undone for the least counts as done to himself, and he pronounces everlasting fire on the cursed who failed leaving no further hour even for all the world's wealth, so shrinking from duty neglecting the cross cherishing idols indulging little sin appearing ready unprepared and presenting gainless talent is weighed wanting and shut out while knocking, with safety only in present courage strength and grace to do good under his wings.
The final question of acknowledgment and reward turns on whether one truly served him even when his cause and followers were despised and in the minority, for service to his people counts as done to him.
The final separation brings the righteous receiving the kingdom with honor made public though the world reviled persecuted and destroyed, and hope of the King's welcome to the blessed into the prepared kingdom strengthened commitment to faith through service to his least.
When he comes in glory with holy angels, a time at hand to be read with care in fear of God and view of eternity, two classes appear, with the righteous in deep-rooted piety doing good without pride or seeming to know, to whom the King says Come ye blessed inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation, for feeding giving drink taking in clothing visiting and coming to the imprisoned done to one of the least was done to him as reason for reward.
He will place on his right those serving without knowing and surprised to be told, choosing none for debate eloquence or argument but counting tender sympathy as done to himself, such as loving believers, entertaining ministers and brethren, helping in Sabbath-school and conducting pulpit prayer-meeting or school when needed, and being first to know and act when neighbors are sick poor or sorrowing even while needing care, which quiet motherly self-sacrificing work is true greatness living long in few years.
When he comes he will commend visiting the sick and relieving the afflicted, including protecting poor children needing care, providing necessities for dependent aged, caring for homeless orphans as friend to the friendless not abandoning, and serving orphans and dependent older people as shared blessed responsibility testing generosity and love, for God did not design sufferers neglected, and using homes and goods to lift widows and fatherless with warm clothes shoes and help instead of spending on self or thankless heirs counts as done to him bringing their blessing now and his welcome then.
Clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, comforting the distressed and prisoners, and offering even small gift kind word prayer or Scripture consolation serve him and may help bring a soul to salvation.
Mercy and loving service to those in need including helping the wounded and dying, relieving suffering and directing a dying soul to hope are counted as service and recorded in heaven as victory of unselfish love.
What is done for people in need is reckoned as done for him repaying redemption's debt, so helping the lost and needy, providing housing for the poor, helping young men in hardship, encouraging the struggling, caring for poor afflicted orphaned and fatherless, and using entrusted means time abilities influence and light to lead to salvation make a year rightly counted good though bringing less money, with even one good deed in faith bringing a place hereafter, angels carrying secret deeds and kind words to the throne, feeding bringing invitation to come as his own and cheering bringing promise of the right hand, and good to the suffering oppressed and bound in superstition accepted as directly to him though God cannot be enriched but is thanked by faithful use.
Love for him increases willingness to give to the poor benefiting them as his representatives, giving reason for benevolence and refraining from unkind hasty words in ministering to poor and friendless, with every opportunity to speak or show kindness as a talent entrusted for his service.
An impatient unchristlike disposition can make his religion distasteful to those nearby and contribute to their being lost, underscoring mercy in the final judgment scene where conduct toward others matters to him.
Neglecting the poor suffering and sinful is disloyalty to him for treatment of them is treatment of him, and claiming his name while denying his character gives Christianity little power and brings reproach on his name.
Neglecting people in need is neglecting him, calling to account for failing to provide a place in Georgia where people can hear truth.
What is done to one of the least is done to him as test in judgment measuring fitness for heaven by how professed Christians treat one another now, whether greeting all heartily with warm fellowship or only the congenial honorable, and whether ready to live with them forever in close heavenly communion.
He identifies with the poor lowly and oppressed as brethren so what is done to them is done to him, with true images the worn artisan and destitute fainting girl and all crushed under thrones and altars, so welcoming with pomp carpets of gold kingly fare organs and lifted image in church palace and hall while fencing sheep with silver gold and holding with sword flame and steel is rejection not faith over which he sorrows hearing groans under foundations and tears these eighteen hundred years, setting the despised poor amidst despisers drawing back for fear of defilement as made in his likeness.
He identifies with the poor vulnerable and rejected so what is done to them is done to him, with the artisan and motherless girl as images while those shrinking fail to recognize him.
Care for the destitute dying alone by the roadside and lepers in privation flows from his tender pitying love and gospel ministration, making neglect impossible where that love is present, while shutting it out leaves pride and selfishness abandoning the afflicted.
Helping orphans and the poor and not turning the needy away are done to him receiving reward at judgment, and caring for the poor sick and afflicted with love kindness mercy and help is part of the life preparing to dwell with Jesus and holy angels.
Practical kindness with food clothing money strength or other aid to needy brethren is done to him joining the giver to his benevolence and able to reclaim the straying and lost.
Help or harm to his weakest feeblest child is counted as done to him, for he is touched with infirmities tempted in all points and afflicted in all afflictions, which full identification is why people can pour out inmost secrets real emotions and sacred thoughts instead of suppressing disguising or hiding.
Sharing food and clothing with the Lord's needy children serves him, so saving needless expenses to help the hungry and destitute, helping poor people with clothing, and sharing food and clothing serve him.
Finding the Lord's needy ones in the city and providing donated comfortable clothing through winter is doing it to him, and much more should be done.
What is done to even one follower is done to him, so harming one of the flock offends him and passing over or mistreating them passes over him, with seeming hopeless ones possibly drawn and entering heaven not to be dismissed as unworthy of trust.
Forgiving an enemy by cancelling an unpayable debt even when an old wrong was done eases care as service to him identifying with that friend.
Care for the sick poor orphans and widows is care for him, not to be ignored while money and attention are lavished on display such as a church bell.
What is done for man is in reality done for God, belonging to the heavenly court's commending decision, where kindness gentleness forgiveness and caring without self-first even in smile or courage serve him giving power to ministry, mercy to poor suffering followers especially before his coming counts as to him from willing love, joining to suffering humanity decides fitness by serving the hungry stranger naked and sick proving discipleship, care to needy brethren pictures higher spiritual care, and service from food to sickbed to Sabbath teaching will be repaid.
It will be his language of approval to those on his right that what they did to one of the least they did to him, and condemnation to those on his left for what they did not do, revealing his condescension and constancy quickness and completeness of sympathy identifying with the meanest of his people.
Failing to feed give drink welcome clothe visit and minister reveals lack of love for him his suffering friends God and others, with omissions exposing character justly condemning at final judgment, making neglect failure toward him warning believers to show belief through practical care for the poor.
Gathering precious sheaves in white harvest fields when he calls is done to him, and refusing hand and heart forgets him neglects wants and disregards pleadings, so when the Master comes to reckon wheat and tares laborers are answered they did it all for him glorified praised with Well done crowned and brought in as his Father's children to many mansions, while those choosing smooth easy pleasure without helping are answered I know you not and sent away with Depart.
He suffers in the person of followers as representatives on earth so what is done to them is done to him, and standing by the chosen suffering for cause and name bearing reproach suffering in persecutions weeping sympathizing rejoicing to bear burdens fulfills his law, with direction of sympathies proving Christian standing to be kept in harmony, viewing now as in judgment and eternity when present decisions reverse worldly honor wealth and glory become worthless reproach of sin sinks and despised reproach of Christ proves infinite worth, so those now standing with the reproached though the selfish are ashamed will be owned and not ashamed of when called, suffering only a little before reproach ceases to share following glory and reigning, comforting willingness to endure little for him who endured much.
Caring for the poor and suffering despite risk some prove unworthy honors the Master bringing comfort, and using means for this is better than spending on selfish pleasure.
He carried out the verse in his own life of disinterested benevolence beauty of holiness consistency tenderness sympathy sociability temperance and attentiveness to the least without conformity, meeting needs of the poor as example, so ignoring suffering or exploiting for gain is inconsistent with genuine Christianity.
Tilling the ground for and to God's glory with his cooperation brings blessing, and following God as Gardener planting pleasant and good means planting flowers as well as food then giving first fruits such as first berries to a sick woman nearby, for what is done for a sick neighbor is done to him.
Help to the least must meet real need with entrusted resources abilities and sacrificial love rather than keeping abundance while giving thinly for praise, for help given is given to him and refusal refuses him, whether clothing hungry children treated as his own blessed, giving a blanket that must truly warm not a thin one amid comfort, or giving long-saved cherished money leaving desire unmet out of love.
Entering the kingdom requires coming down to the level of his poor ignorant lowly little ones in humility following him instead of aristocratic religion bowing to the rich and passing the poor, with ministers especially preferring the poor and forsaken, and bearing burdens and reproaches with his little ones in toil and tears is suffering with him whom only the willing will reign with, to receive Ye have done it unto me in the dawn of the day never followed by night.