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34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 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, 36 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.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

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.’ Mat. 25:34-40 (NIV)

April and I like being benevolent. A word meaning: kind and with positive intentions. So when the need went out yesterday in church to help buy children back-to-school clothes, supplies, and perhaps something they wanted, we knew we had to respond.

April turned to me and asked, “Do you want to help?” “Of course,” I replied. Then she asked, “Do we have enough extra money right now?” I said, “God will provide.”

As we started shopping for the individual April had selected, it seemed daunting to buy clothes for a young man whom we had never met. So, I started praying. Asking God, who knows this child, to lead us and guide us with questions like, “What are 14-year-olds wearing these days?” I mean, you want them to look nice but be cool as well. When I took hold of the pair of shoes, I started crying. Here is a young man, just starting high school and wondering, “Will I fit in?” “What am I going to wear?” My heart broke. A kid should never have to worry about what they will wear or what they will eat, or where they will sleep tonight.

I don’t write about these things to say, “Look at us. Look how generous we are.” We are only able to do these things because of God! The reason is to say:

  1. Trust God that He will meet your needs.
  2. Open your eyes to the needs of others.
  3. Live within your means, so you can help.
  4. And remember that when you do it for the least of these, you do it for Jesus.

The young man that we got to help is more than a number. More than “A202516.” We pray that he knows God and will learn by seeing Him in action how loving and caring He really is. And that He is a good, good God. We pray that when he grows up and someday hears the cry go out that a child has a need, he will remember how someone answered that cry for him, and then do the same.

Copyright © 2025 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.