Day 7: “That Was Me”
Matthew 25:37–40 (NLT)
"Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?’… And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me.’"
Main Idea
This is one of the most staggering statements Jesus ever made. He’s describing what it will be like when we stand before him, and he says something that should rearrange the way you see every single person you encounter: when you served the overlooked, the ignored, the hungry, the hurting — that was me. You were doing it to me.
The people in the story are genuinely surprised. They don’t remember serving Jesus. They remember serving ordinary, broken, messy people. They remember handing someone a meal. They remember visiting someone in a dark place. They remember giving clothing to someone who had nothing. And Jesus says, “Yeah. That was me.”
Think about what this means for your Monday morning. The kid at school who everybody avoids? You can show your love for Jesus by showing love to them. The person who bugs you, who takes too long, who doesn’t have their life together? You can show your love for Jesus by showing love to them. The person in need who can’t repay you and won’t even thank you? You can show your love for Jesus by showing love to them.
This truth demolishes every excuse for not serving. “They don’t deserve it.” Neither did we. “They won’t appreciate it.” That’s not why we do it. “It’s not worth my time.” You’re serving Jesus. How is that not worth your time?
Here’s the part of the passage people sometimes miss: Jesus says this reward was prepared “since the world’s foundation.” Before the earth existed, God already had something stored up for the people who would say yes to serving. He knew who would show up. He knew who would stoop. He knew who would run toward need like a gazelle while everyone else walked the other direction. And he’s been preparing something for them since before time began.
This is where the whole week comes together. Saying yes to serving isn’t just a nice thing to do. It’s not just a church program. It’s the very purpose for which you were designed. You were made to motivate one another toward love and good works. You were made to stir each other up, to spur each other on, to be the kind of community where everyone is saying, “I’m here to serve” — not because someone made them, but because they’ve seen what Jesus did and they can’t help but follow.
The impulse is real. The call is clear. The promise is reliable. All that’s left is one word: yes.
What Else the Bible Says About This
• — If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord — and he will repay you!
• –18 — If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion — how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.
• — And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.
• — And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Let’s Apply This…
Tomorrow, every person you see is an opportunity to serve Jesus. That’s not a metaphor. That’s what Jesus said. So here’s the challenge to close the week: pick one “least of these” person in your life — someone overlooked, ignored, or undervalued — and serve them in a specific, concrete way. Don’t post about it. Don’t tell anyone. Just do it, knowing that Jesus said, “That was me.” And at the end of the day, sit quietly and let that truth sink in: you served Jesus today. How does that change the way you see tomorrow?
God’s Message to You
“I’m closer than you think. I’m not waiting for you on a mountaintop or behind the doors of some sacred building. I’m in the face of the person you almost walked past. I’m in the need you almost ignored. I’m in the interruption you almost resented. Every time you stop, stoop, and serve someone the world considers unimportant, you’re looking me in the eyes. And I see you. I see every single act of kindness, every quiet sacrifice, every time you said yes when it would have been easier to keep walking. None of it is wasted. I’ve had your reward ready since before the world began. Keep going. Keep serving. Keep saying yes. Because every time you do, you’re doing it for me.”
(Based on –40; ; )
Prayer
Jesus, I want to see you everywhere. Not just in church. Not just in prayer. But in the faces of the people I’m tempted to overlook. Help me believe what you said — that when I serve the least, I’m serving you. That changes everything. It means no act of kindness is too small, no person is unimportant, and no sacrifice goes unseen. Give me eyes to find you hiding in plain sight. And give me the courage to keep saying yes — to the impulse, to the need, to the person right in front of me. I don’t want to just know this. I want to live it. Amen.
Reflection Questions
- Jesus said serving the overlooked is the same as serving him. How does that truth change the way you see the people around you tomorrow — at school, at work, in your neighborhood?
- The people in Matthew 25 were surprised. They didn’t remember serving Jesus — they just remembered serving people. What does that tell you about the kind of service that matters most?
- Looking back over this whole week, what’s the single biggest shift in how you think about serving? What is one specific commitment you’re making going forward — and who will you ask to hold you accountable to it?