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. – Matthew 25:40
Delicious, mouth-watering brownies rest on the polished counter. The house has been scrubbed squeaky clean, a bedroom was lovingly prepared, and even the cat was told of the special guest who would soon arrive. Loved ones are waiting in eager anticipation; a long-time friend is coming! Every preparation has been made to ensure that this friend will feel truly welcome.
Have you ever thought how you would prepare if Jesus were coming for a visit at your house? We would probably polish our best silver and arrange our finest china on crisp white linens. Then we might start to cook a delectable full-course meal. We would want the very best to serve the Lord!
On the other hand, what would our response be if an unfriendly and often-irritating neighbor came over at lunchtime? Would we lock the door and pretend no one was home? Certainly, that is not what God would want us to do. It seems easy to open our homes and make dinner for those we love. Yet, the Lord said if we do it for “one of the least of these,” it is like doing it for Him, or having Jesus over for lunch. We certainly would not lock the door and hide if the Lord came calling.
Let’s take a look around us. Are there some people who are hard for us to love? We can invite them to dinner sometime, show interest in their lives, or offer them a special kindness some other way. If we do this with a gracious heart, we will have done it as unto the Lord. We will be blessed and others around us will be encouraged by our kind example.
Let’s reach out! Make lunch for Jesus; breakfast and dinner too! We can show others we care by taking time to share God’s love with “one of the least of these.”