Matthew 25:40 And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me. AMPC
Did you know the art of giving love is a skill we have to develop to do the greater works in the Kingdom of God? It is, it is the greatest thing to love God and others and as we practice that love, we will become skilled at it.
My parents were compassionate and loving but still displayed the character of as the world does, to take care of their own.
My personality alone was never to be a nurse or to take care of an adult, but a child or an animal for me was a whole different thing. Therefore when it came to taking care of someone older I didn’t want to, especially if I thought they were capable themselves.
Another thing if the person I should take care of isn’t even nice to me, that made it worse yet, I didn’t want to do anything for that person.
I said all that to say just as an example to share with you what God has done in me. When I have those selfish feelings now because I have asked for correction from God, I get corrected.
I now can nurse anyone who needs nursing because God has asked me to. Whether the person likes me or not, or is nice to me or not I can do what God has asked because I want to please Him.
God knows a persons heart and the love they need and He expects us to develop the skill of loving those who need love for Him because He loves them. God expects us to practice love because we said we believed in Him. When we said we believed, we said we promised to pick up where He left off when He left.
I know God already loves me just the way I am, but if He is asking me to be Him for them then that is my work to do. In fact I believe the greater work Jesus is referring to is to love beyond what we feel. To love to the degree of loving someone else more than ourselves because He does.
Have you ever noted someone in need and walked away because of your own selfish desires? That is exactly what Jesus is talking about here. If we are first then we haven’t learned His love and can have to no part of Him. But, when we do for Him as we have committed to do when said we believed, then we have done for Him when we do for the least.
To be like Jesus we have to get skilled at giving in fact our life needs to be about giving, doing the work we have been assigned to by Jesus to do —that greater thing other than to take care of ourselves.
Matthew 25:34 Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God and appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me, 36 I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me with help and ministering care, I was in prison and you came to see Me. 37 Then the just and upright will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You? 39 And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You? 40 And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me. AMPC
Matthew 25:41 Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!
42 For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me and entertain Me, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me with help and ministering care. 44 Then they also [in their turn] will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You? AMPC