The ‘least of these My brethren’ must be a subset of the ‘little ones’ Jesus loves so much. He once told the story of a beggar named Lazarus who was one of the these ‘least.’ After he died, the Father sent His angels to take Lazarus to the side of Abraham.
Jesus knows that the existence of suffering on earth does not prove His Father to be nonexistent or heartless, as some declare today. Jesus also understands the reality of eternity and the foolishness of hoarding wealth and selfish living. He once asked, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Matthew 16:26)
In his misery on earth, Lazarus lay outside a wealthy man’s gate “longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table.” When this man who “dressed in purple and fine linen” also died, he found himself in torment… where one’s wardrobe has no bearing. “Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.”
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received good things while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.” (see Luke 16:19-27)
In a parable about Judgment Day, Jesus shared more about ‘the least of these.’ “Come, you who are blessed by My Father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 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 invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you came to visit Me.” (Matthew 25:34-36)
If only the rich man had recognized that Lazarus was really God in disguise…
Here are a few takeaways:
- Years, or even decades of suffering on earth will pale in comparison with the billions of years God’s children will spend in eternity.
- The Father intends for His children who have food, shelter, clothing, and comfort to be diligent in helping those who do not.
- The Father blesses those who love and serve ‘the least of these’ as if they love and serve His only begotten Son.
- Those who despise, ignore, and fail to help ‘the least of these’ despise, ignore, and fail to help Jesus.
- The time to change the way we live, think, and use our money is while we are still alive.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.” Matthew 25:40