Taking sides is an unsettling trend in our country these days. Our political affiliations and where we stand on issues has never been so divisive.
The church has had its own struggle with sides — for centuries — over the way to live out faith. Should we be more focused on saving souls or meeting people’s physical needs?
This is a false dichotomy, because Jesus did both. Jesus cared deeply about the poor and the downtrodden, demonstrating his compassion in tangible ways: giving sight to the blind, touching the leper, healing the sick. But he also preached the good news of God’s love and salvation.
Being on Jesus’ side means doing it all. He instructed his followers to change the world in his name by embracing two essential commands: the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. We are to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39), and we are to go and make disciples of others who will do the same (Matthew 28:19-20).
It’s tempting to focus mainly on the Great Commission, as if evangelism is our only responsibility. But loving our neighbor is also critically important to Jesus.
Of all the times he spoke of it, none is more compelling than the passage in Matthew 25 when Jesus describes the actions of those welcomed into his Father’s kingdom: “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 looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me … Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:35-36, 40).
The King will reply, ‘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
Matthew 25 illustrates the shocking depth of Jesus’ love for the human race. His identification with “the least of these” is so profound that when we reach out to them with love and enter their pain, it is Jesus himself we are loving and embracing.
Living out the Great Commandment in the ways described in Matthew 25 catalyzes the Great Commission — because when people experience the love of Christ through our deeds, it prepares them to hear the message of Christ through our words.
So if we want to be agents of the Great Commission, first we must become agents of the Great Commandment. Being close to Christ means being close to the poor.
Matthew 25 becomes our to-do list, detailing all the problems afflicting the poor around the world today — hunger, thirst, alienation, lack of clothes, poor health, and injustice. As a child sponsor or World Vision supporter, you are responding to all these needs, helping World Vision strengthen a child’s entire community. We aim to change the lives of children and families by providing access to clean water, nutritious food, healthcare, education, and economic opportunities, but ultimately we want to change the world for Christ.
Caring for people in this way signals whose side we’re on — the side of our God, who desperately loves all people. When we demonstrate this love to the world through acts of kindness, compassion, and justice, we open the way for the message of a Savior who transforms men and women for all eternity.
World Vision U.S. President Rich Stearns is the author of The Hole In Our Gospel and Unfinished. Follow him at twitter.com/richstearns.
FAQs
This is a powerful lesson for his disciples in every age. This is the meaning of his observation that “the poor you will always have with you”. The poor will always be with us, yet that should not make us indifferent, but summon us instead to a mutual sharing of life that does not allow proxies.
How did Jesus show his concern for the poor? ›
Jesus cared deeply about the poor and the downtrodden, demonstrating his compassion in tangible ways: giving sight to the blind, touching the leper, healing the sick. But he also preached the good news of God's love and salvation.
What does Jesus ask us to do for the poor? ›
“Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality” (Rom. 12:13). “Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (James 2:5).
What is the main lesson in Matthew 25? ›
With these words from Matthew 25, Jesus shows us that true faith doesn't stay locked within the walls of a church building. It reaches out to people who are hurting and facing injustice — and it cares for children, who are the most vulnerable of all.
Did Jesus favor the poor? ›
He clearly believed that God was not on the side of the wealthy, but that God favored the poor. One of the more fascinating stories that demonstrates this point is the parable of the rich landowner in Luke 12:13-21. A rich man gets richer, but his greed causes his downfall and judgment.
Why did Jesus say the poor will always be with you? ›
Even though God never intended that there be any poor, he also knew that there would always be poor people as long as there are sinful people in the world. Jesus' statement about the poor always being with us is intended to shame us, to remind us that this is a true statement only because we have failed.
Who is Jesus talking to in Matthew 25? ›
Matthew 25 concludes the "Olivet Discourse:" Jesus' teaching to the disciples about future things as they sit on the Mount of Olives.
How does God treat the poor and powerless? ›
God identifies with the poor and says that those who “are kind to the poor lend to the Lord” while those who oppress the poor “show contempt for their Maker” (Psalm 146:5–9; Proverbs 19:17, 14:31).
What did Jesus teach about poverty and wealth? ›
See what Jesus had to say about being rich and the rich; Blessed are the poor for the Kingdom of God is theirs, but woe to the rich (Luke 6:20–26) No man can serve (work for) God and money (Matthew 6:24–33) You cannot become my disciple unless you forsake all that you own (Luke 14:33)
What does God want us to do for the poor? ›
In the Bible, God speaks often of the poor and needy. He commands us to give generously to the less fortunate and to speak up on their behalf.
Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. Proverbs 22:9 The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor. Proverbs 22:16 Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.
How does God want us to help the poor? ›
What does the Bible say about giving to the poor? In Isaiah 58:6 when talking about what true fasting is it says “Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless and poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear”. In Proverbs 31 “Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves.
What is a short summary of Matthew 25? ›
Like the virgins who were prepared for the unexpected, we need to be prepared for the return of Jesus at any time. According to the parable of the talents, we will be judged based on how we used what God entrusted to us. And we will have to answer for how well/poorly we treated others who were in need.
What does the parable in Matthew 25 mean? ›
Traditionally, the parable of the talents has been seen as an exhortation to Jesus' disciples to use their God-given gifts in the service of God, and to take risks for the sake of the Kingdom of God. These gifts have been seen to include personal abilities ("talents" in the everyday sense), as well as personal wealth.
What does Matthew 25 say? ›
' "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability.
What does the poor mean in the Bible? ›
The Greek language has two terms for poor : penes and ptochos. Penes refers to a person who does manual labor, and so is contrasted with plousios, a member of the landed class who does not work. At stake is the social status or honor rating of a worker.
What does the Bible mean when it talks about the poor? ›
Poverty is a result of laziness ( 6:10-11 ; 10:4 ; 20:13 ; 24:33-34 ), lack of discipline ( 13:18 ), idleness ( 14:23 ; 28:19 ), haste ( 21:5 ), excess ( 21:17 ; 23:20-21 ), and injustice ( 13:23 ). The Wisdom Literature paints a realistic picture of poverty in the ancient world.
What did Jesus mean by preach the gospel to the poor? ›
But Jesus knows exactly what He is saying, as he deliberately emphasizes the fact that the poor have the good news of eternal life preached to them. Those from whom nothing can be gained except gratitude and friendship bask in the purposeful attention of our Lord.
Who are the poor in spirit in Matthew 5:3? ›
We are beggars.
To be poor in spirit means to acknowledge our deepest human need for God and to grow in that longing and that dependence on a daily basis.
