Jesus tells us in Matthew 25:31-46 of how we will be judged by the Son of Man. The example HE gives is how we treat those we do not know, but are in need of water, food, or comfort due to an illness or being in prison.
A good example of Jesus convicting one’s heart directly, would be the time He shared the parable of the Good Samaritan. Luke 20:25-37. Jesus was responding to a lawyer who asked what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Like the rich young ruler who asked the same question, Jesus went to the heart of the problem to answer the lawyers question.
In the rich young rulers case of Mark 20:17-31, Jesus told him to sell everything he had and give the money to the poor and follow Him. Jesus knew the young ruler put his faith in his wealth and accomplishments. The young ruler walked away very sad for he was very wealthy. Now we see Jesus confronting a Lawyer who is asking the same question, and Jesus again goes to the heart of the man’s problem, which is his unloving and uncaring heart.
This is what we learn about in the parable of the good Samaritan, shared by Luke. The Jewish priest and the Levite would have nothing to do with the man laying on the road. Their hearts were unloving and uncaring. They never even stopped to ask why he was in the state he was in. They could care less, even though the man was a fellow Jew.
Yet a Samaritan, whom the Jews regarded as filthy dogs and half-breeds, stopped and went out of his way to help the man in need. Even going out of his way to put the man up at Inn. He also promised to pay whatever expenses were needed to get the injured man back on his feet.As I read this I was reminded of this passage in the book of Hebrews,
” Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers,
for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.”
Hebrews 13:1-2
How often do we see someone in need? Someone we would normally turn our head away from, because of our preconceived idea of how they got where they are at? Well, have you ever considered that maybe, just maybe, God sent an Angel our way to test our heats? Not that He doesn’t already know our hearts, but rather to convict us into action.
There are probably over 50 instances in the Old and New Testaments, where men and women have been visited by angels. My heart tells me that there are probably thousands of times a visitation accrued that was never recorded. Maybe they weren’t recorded because the one being visited did not respond as they should have. We will never know, but it is something to consider next time you see someone in need.
”Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly,
say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one
of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.”
(Matthew 25:45)
Dear Lord, help my evil, selfish, uncaring heart to be more loving and receptive of those in need as I am faced with the challenges you put before me. Help my ignorant and cold heart so I will remember to step up and help those less fortunate than I, just as the Good Samaritan did.
Amen
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