The Least Of Jesus Family

The Least Of Jesus Family  Matthew 25:40

An older couple and a friend were strolling downtown of a small city. As they passed by the luxury shops of the restored brick buildings it was cold and almost snowing. When they passed by a middle aged woman she asked, " excuse me, can you give me directions?" The husband replied, "sorry we are not from here. "Well," she said," I just want to know how to get to hell. Can you tell me how to get there?" The Husband replied again, I can tell you how to get to heaven." She said she had  recently gotten a  tattoo and showed them a symbol of Christian faith on her leg. The husband replied again, "Jesus is the way to heaven. "I know" she said, and told them she was homeless. She looked so troubled. The friend of the couple told her about a center where she could go. She explained that she could not go there because she was drinking. She told the wife that some one had just told her to "go to hell!"  As she stood outside of a bar, her cigarette in her hand, the wife asked, "Can we pray for you?" She broke into tears and said yes. After they prayed she returned inside the bar and the three friends continued their walk. They ended the tour when they found a place to have dinner.  Talk continued about the woman standing out in the cold. She did not ask for a hand out.

What do you think of this story? This true account relates to Jesus' prophecy of his return and the Judgement day "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats." - Matthew 25:31-32 NKJV

 Lately I have been thinking of Jesus and how he said  that it is him who is the hungry and naked, the sick and the stranger that we meet. Are we not called to help them? The least of these that we respond to is how we are treating Jesus! "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'" - Matthew 25:40 NKJV

 I am to go out of my way, take time and go to see the prisoner, the sick ones that I know. 'I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Matthew 25:36 NKJV

Jesus concluded with his insight to our relationship with him here and now by explaining how it will be a deciding point on the Judgement Day. We will be standing with multitudes that will be divided as a shepard sorting out his flock, the sheep on the one side and the goats on the other. Do you know what happens to the goats, the people that did not help the needy? Matthew 25:46 "And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."   

There are promises for those of us who want to be sheep. "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:" - Matthew 25:34 KJV  

 Do I recognize Jesus when he is "one of those" who are the least and the last?   Jesus is in the eyes of children and the oppressed and we need some kind of compassion for them. Often we do not realize that we are helping or neglecting Jesus.  God help me change my way of thinking!  Do I really know how I have been treating him? What is the value of  the inheritance that we will be given?  What is the kingdom Jesus promises us?  May we know the blessing that Our Father has prepared for us.