In Matthew 25:31-36, Jesus shares a parable that challenges the hearers to service. In verses 31-32a he challenges us to Loving Service, then in verses 35-36 He calls us to simple service. All of the things he talks about in this passage can be done by anyone, at any time, at any age. Jesus is not telling us to fix all the world’s problems in one shot; rather He invites us to make a difference in a simple fashion: one person at a time. Jesus equates our acts of kindness on behalf of those in need around us as acts of kindness given to Him. Deitrich Bonhoeffer correctly interprets this saying of Christ as, “I Jesus, the service of God and the service of the least of the brethren were one.” While it is true that the type of service we are called by God to engage in is simple, that is not to say that it is without cost to us. The acts which Christ mentions in this passage all have a ring of personal compassion, and requires more than simply writing a check to charity. It is a call to become personally involved in the lives of those who are hurting and to touch them with our lives. God calls us to let our light shine – through acts of simple service.
