When You Serve Them, You Serve God
“Because of Your amazing sacrifice for me, I want to serve You with every fiber of my being. I know that my service is woefully inadequate. Nonetheless, when I yield myself to Your will, You bless me with Joy.”
– Jesus Listens, July 4th
And the King shall answer and say unto them, “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” Matthew 25:40 (KJV).
I grew up reading the King James Version of the Bible, which, although a gift to the world for four hundred years, was not very helpful for a child trying to comprehend the storyline, and even worse when developing your own nascent vocabulary. Speaking Elizabethan English to your peers in elementary school is a quick pathway to being shunned like Esther Prynes, if only for your vocabulary. Over the years, I have broadened my reading to include the NKJV, the ESV, the NIV, and even the NLT. However, some of the old words stick with you; they settle deep in your spirit, and hearing them triggers the neuropathways that bring back a flood of memories.
One of those words for me is “inasmuch.” Although the word only appears a handful of times in the scriptures, it lingers, particularly because it frames one of the most sobering passages in the Gospels. The parable of the sheep and the goats serves as a sacred and sober reminder of how God evaluates the effectiveness of our lives.
The word “inasmuch” in the context of Matthew 25:40 is a conjunction that means “to the extent that” or “insofar as.” It indicates that the actions done to “the least of these” are considered by the King Jesus as done unto Himself. Essentially, the verse conveys that the kindness, care, or help extended to the most marginalized or needy individuals is viewed as if it were given directly to Jesus, underlining the notion that serving others, especially those in need, is akin to serving Christ Himself.
In the rhythm of our daily lives, where the divine meets the mundane, we find the essence of truly knowing God—by loving those around us with an enthusiasm that reflects our love for Him. The narrative Jesus shares in the parable of the sheep and the goats isn’t just a story; it’s a window into kingdom life, where our actions ripple through our neighborhoods and out into eternity.
Imagine a world where love isn’t just a word we toss around but a deliberate action, a conscious choice to see God in the eyes of the stranger, the needy—those society pushes to the margins. This parable, nestled in the teachings of Matthew, isn’t merely a cautionary tale about the end of days; it’s a guidebook for living a life that mirrors the kingdom of God here and now.
In this story, Jesus isn’t just a storyteller. He’s the Shepherd, distinguishing between the sheep and the goats based on one simple, profound criterion: how they treated the least among them.
The King of all identifies Himself with the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned, saying, “When you serve them, you’re serving Me.”
So, what does this mean for us? It means our faith is more than beliefs tucked neatly in our minds. It’s faith lived out loud, that gets its hands dirty, and that steps into messy and painful places with the love and compassion of Jesus. It’s seeing a person experiencing homelessness, not as a project or a cause, but as a neighbor worthy of love and compassion and, even more, as Jesus pushing the shopping cart holding all His worldly possessions. And it’s an opportunity to love God by loving them.
But let’s be honest; this isn’t easy. It’s difficult to see Jesus in the faces of those we might naturally overlook or avoid. Yet, that’s the call. It’s a radical, countercultural way of living that flips our worldly values on their heads. The kingdom of God doesn’t operate on the world’s currency of success, power, or prestige. It’s built on love, mercy, and grace.
When we feed the hungry, offer water to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit the imprisoned—we’re not just performing acts of charity, we’re participating in the very life of Jesus by treating those in need as if they are Jesus. We’re embodying the gospel, making it tangible and visible to a world desperate for a glimpse of the divine.
This is the kingdom life—a life that sees beyond societal labels and reaches into the essence of each person, recognizing the image of God imprinted on their souls. It’s a life that understands that our relationship with God is intrinsically linked to how we treat those He loves.
As we consider the implications of loving others as we love Jesus, we must remember that the kingdom of God isn’t some distant, abstract reality. It’s breaking into our world every single day, inviting us to be part of something bigger than ourselves. It’s a call to live out the two greatest commandments: love God and love our neighbors (Luke 10:27).
In this kingdom, love isn’t just a sentiment, it’s action. It’s not just feeling, it’s doing. It’s not just for some, it’s for all. This is the heartbeat of the kingdom, where every act of kindness, compassionate gesture, and moment of connection reflects our love for God.
So, as we navigate the complexities and challenges of life in a highly divided and polarized world, let’s embrace this kingdom perspective as modeled by our King. Let’s be people who love boldly, live generously, and see Jesus in every face we encounter. Let’s not just believe in love, let’s practice it daily, in every interaction with everyone we meet.
In doing so, we’re not just waiting for the kingdom to come, we’re actively participating in its unfolding, here and now, bringing a taste of heaven to earth. And in this sacred endeavor, we find our most profound connection to God, for in loving others, we’re truly loving Him.
About The Author
Terry Crist (ThM, DMin) is the lead pastor of City of Grace in Phoenix and Las Vegas alongside his wife, Judith. As a fifth-generation pastor, he has served the local church and helped hurting people for over forty years. Terry is passionate about community transformation and promotes adoption and foster care through his work in state government. An avid outdoorsman and gifted communicator, he has adventured and preached the gospel in over sixty nations. His new book is Loving Samaritans: Radical Kindness in an Us vs. Them World.
