Have Compassion For The Needy

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.' "  Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, recorded by the Apostle Matthew, the former tax collector, as He spoke to His disciples regarding the parable of the sheep and the goats. (Matthew 25:31-46)  He told them that when the time is come, He will separate people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. (Matthew 25:32-33)  He will direct the righteous to His right side, and the non-believers to his left.  The righteous He will tell to come and claim their inheritance as their reward for how they treated Him. (Matthew 25:34-36)  Then they will ask Him, when did we treat you that way, and His reply will be, as you did it for the least of these, My brothers, you did it for Me. (Matthew 25:37-40)

It is clear that Jesus regards our treatment of the least of the believers as if we had done it to Him.  Who are the least of His brothers?  They are the hungry, the thirsty, those in need of clothing, the sick, and those who are incarcerated.  When we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, give clothing to those in need, care for the sick, and visit the incarcerated, in His eyes we are doing it to Him.  We should be very careful in the way that we treat people, especially the down and out.  We are blessed in order to be a blessing to others. (Proverbs 11:25)  It is possible that we may encounter an angel and not be aware of it. (Hebrews 13:1-3)