A Hot Meal 一餐热饭
Dexu Xia
Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Matthew 25:40
Barbecue chicken, green beans, spaghetti, rolls. On a cool day in October, at least fifty-four homeless people received this hot meal from a woman celebrating fifty-four years of life. The woman and her friends decided to forgo her usual birthday dinner in a restaurant, choosing instead to cook and serve meals to people on the streets of Chicago. On social media, she encouraged others to also perform a random act of kindness as a birthday gift.
This story reminds me of Jesus’ words in Matthew 25: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (v. 40). He said these words after declaring that His sheep will be invited into His eternal kingdom to receive their inheritance (vv. 33–34). At that time, Jesus will acknowledge that they’re the people who fed and clothed Him because of their genuine faith in Him, unlike the proud religious people who did not believe in Him (see 26:3–5). Although the “righteous” will question when they fed and clothed Jesus (25:37), He’ll assure them that what they did for others was also done for Him (v. 40).
Feeding the hungry is just one way God helps us care for His people—showing our love for Him and relationship with Him. May He help us meet others’ needs today. By: Katara Patton
What acts of kindness can you do today to show God’s love to others? How are you also caring for Him when you help meet their needs?
Gracious God, please help me to show Your love through my actions today.
For further study, read Loving the Neighbor Next Door.
这些事你们既做在我这弟兄中一个最小的身上，就是做在我身上了。—马太福音25章40节
桌上摆满了烤鸡、青豆、意大利面，以及面包卷等各式各样的食物。在十月一个凉爽的日子里，芝加哥至少有54名无家可归的街友，在一位女士54岁的生日宴上饱餐一顿。这位女士和她的朋友们决定，不像往年那样在餐厅庆生，而是为在芝加哥街上的流浪者提供一顿热腾腾的餐食。她也在社交媒体上鼓励大家，在自己过生日那天能做一件善行义举，当作是送给自己的一份生日礼物。
这件事让我想起在马太福音25章中，耶稣说：“我实在告诉你们：这些事你们既做在我这弟兄中一个最小的身上就是做在我身上了”（40节）。在说这话之前，耶稣宣布祂的羊将会受邀进入祂永恒的国度承受产业（34节）。到那时，耶稣将承认这些给祂吃、给祂穿的人，是因为他们活出真正的信仰，而那些骄傲的宗教人士却截然不同（参阅26章3-5节）。尽管这些“义人”并不知道自己何时接待了耶稣（25章37节），但耶稣明确地让他们知道，他们为别人所做的一切，就是为祂而做（40节）。
为饥肠辘辘的人预备食物，是上帝帮助我们去关怀祂子民的其中一种方式，显明了我们对上帝的爱，以及与祂美好的关系。愿上帝今日就帮助我们去关怀有需要的人。
你今天可以做哪些善行义举，
向人表达上帝的爱？当你提供协助
满足别人的需求时，你如何接待了上帝？
慈爱的上帝，请帮助我今天能透过行动来展现祢的爱。