You Did It For My Child…You Did It For Me

During a recent text message with my daughter Whitney, she shared with me about the blessing her small group leaders are to her and her husband.  She said to me,

“They invited us over for dinner Friday night and we had a really great time!

I replied by saying,

I like these people!

That this dear couple would invest in the lives of my family means so much!  Because they extended that kindness to Paul and Whitney, it was like they had done it for me!  If you’re a parent, you understand that when someone reaches out in kindness to your child in a special way, it’s as though they were doing it directly to you, because it touches your heart.

Let’s put that thought on a spiritual plane – when you and I serve our Savior by living out the Christian life in practical ways, God says it’s as though we have done it to Him.

Matthew 25

For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

³⁶ Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

³⁷ Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

³⁸ When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

³⁹ Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

⁴⁰ 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.

That could include:

• Sharing a meal with others in your home
• Spending time mentoring a younger woman
• Opening God’s Word to encourage and teach
• Dong a kind deed like serving the elderly, visiting the sick, or writing a card, providing for the poor.

These deeds don’t save us, but they show the world that we belong to God.  When we do any of these kinds of things in the name of Christ, God says it’s as though we are doing it directly for Him!

So, who will you reach out to today or this week?  Ask God to show you  who and how and then do it in Jesus’ name.  His Father’s heart will be touched by your actions.

What action has someone extended to your child that meant much to you?
What action could you do that will touch the heart of God?