Helping Because You Can: Matthew 25:31-46

Focus Passage: Matthew 25:31-46 (HCSB)

 31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

    35 For I was hungry
    and you gave Me something to eat;
    I was thirsty
    and you gave Me something to drink;
    I was a stranger and you took Me in;
    36 I was naked and you clothed Me;
    I was sick and you took care of Me;
    I was in prison and you visited Me.’

    37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or without clothes and clothe You? 39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and visit You?’

    40 “And the King will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’ 41 Then He will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels!

    42 For I was hungry
    and you gave Me nothing to eat;
    I was thirsty
    and you gave Me nothing to drink;
    43 I was a stranger
    and you didn’t take Me in;
    I was naked
    and you didn’t clothe Me,
    sick and in prison
    and you didn’t take care of Me.’

    44 “Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help You?’

    45 “Then He will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me either.’

    46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Read Matthew 25:31-46 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

In our passage for this journal entry, we read one of Jesus’ descriptions of His return and the judgment that takes place. The big thing I want to focus on is the idea that both groups of people do not know their actions (or lack thereof) are towards Jesus. Those people who help others are in reality helping Jesus, while those who don’t help have neglected to help Jesus.

It is as though the group of people who are determined to help others do so without really even thinking about the reward of heaven, while the group who missed out on heaven is equally surprised when they learn why they missed out.

This passage tells me that both groups have determined, by having previously focused on developing both habit and character, whether they are interested in helping those who are hurting. The group who helps those in need does so because they can, and not because they see a reward coming in the distant future.

This is the big thought: Have you determined what type of person you will be, starting today? Will you be someone who helps, for no other reason than because you can? Even if heaven wasn’t a potential reward for your help, you are still making a positive impact with each act of kindness you show.

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

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