TEXT: Genesis 18:1-8; Matthew 25:34-40
It was a hot day. Abraham and his wife lived in a tent, like people used to do in that country. Their tent was out in the desert where it is hot, hotter than anywhere else.
Abraham loved God. God loved him, too. On this hot, hot day Abraham went to sit in the door of his tent. He looked up and saw three men standing outside. Abraham knew they must be tired and hot from walking along the dusty road on such a hot day.
Abraham did not even wait for the men to get close to him. He jumped up and went as fast as he could to meet them. He bowed to the ground before them and told them not to go any farther, but to stay there. Abraham said: “Rest yourselves under this tree, and I will get you. something to eat.” They said that they would stay a while.
Abraham gave them some water to wash their poor, hot, dusty feet. How nice and cool that water must have felt on their tired feet! Abraham hurried back into the tent home and called to his wife, Sarah: “We have company. Hurry and bake some nice cakes for them.” Then Abraham ran to the field where his cows were eating grass. He looked all around until he found the best calf and he took it to his servants who cooked the meat for his company. After Sarah baked the cakes (something like bread) Abraham took the cakes, and the meat, and some milk and butter to the men who were resting beneath the tree; and they ate the dinner there. Abraham did not sit down with them, but stood nearby to see if they needed anything else. He gave them the very best he had; and he did all he could think of to help them. He did not even know who they were or where they were going. He just knew that God wanted him to help people and be kind to them.
Who do you suppose these three men were? Who could they be who came so suddenly to Abraham as he sat at the door of his tent? They were Angels from Heaven dressed like men. One of them may have even been the Lord.
Abraham was so glad he had done all he could to make them happy. He did not know they were Angels when he first saw them.
Jesus is watching little boys and little girls all the time. He watches grown people, too, to see if they are good and kind to someone who needs help. He wants all who love Him to be quick and ready to do any little kind act for someone who needs it.
Someday Jesus is coming back from Heaven to get everyone who loves Him. Someday God will open that great, big Book of Life where all the names are of the girls, boys, men and ladies who have no sin in their heart.
Someday Jesus is going to let the good people live with Him in Heaven. He won’t let any naughty people into Heaven.
Jesus will say to the ones who are saved and have no sin: You gave someone a drink of water when he was thirsty. You gave some clothes to a little girl or boy when he did not have any. He notices when you let someone come and stay at your house and maybe even sleep in your bed when he needs some place to stay, and you do not fuss about it. Maybe someone went to see a little sick friend and took him a toy of his very own so he would have something to play with. All these little, nice, kind things to someone else are just as if you were doing them to Jesus. Jesus said that in His Bible. When you show kindness and goodness to someone else, Jesus feels as if you are doing it to Him, too.
Be good to Jesus by being nice to a little friend or even someone you never saw before.
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