I have a friend, strange as can be with a very complex mind always babbling on about something and bringing up weird scenarios and situations. For the sake of his privacy I'll just call him Jay. And one day after hours of what seemed like him trying to get me to voice chat with him, I finally gave in. Just as Jay always does he spoke everything on his mind. Some of it funny, some of it sad and then one of his rather odd scenarios came up.
Jay knew that I love my little brother so much, that my little brother is my best friend and I'd do anything for him. So moving along he asked me something along the lines of "What if it was just you and your brother during difficult times. Not being able to afford food and things such as these. You only had one loaf of bread left in the fridge. Then someone comes along and he is a man that is starving hardly making it by. Would you give the bread to him or to your brother who is also hurting from less food?"
I actually had to sit back taking this make believe situation seriously, thinking what I would really do. I came to a conclusion admitting I would give the bread to the man, trusting God as well as knowing my brother would trust God as well. I believe I said I'd look for food the best I could. Jay then revealed to me asking "What if that man was Jesus?" "You would have given Jesus the food He needed to get through another day."
This was somewhat intriguing to me. And maybe others saw it coming but I didn't. It really began to have me think over time about this scenario and after I had been asked what I would do, I later came across a study in the bible about 'The Least of These'.
The “least of these” is a phrase that originates from Matthew 25:31–46, where Jesus speaks of those in need. Verses 35–40 read,
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”
The “least of these” refers to those in a variety of needy situations. They include the hungry, thirsty, impoverished, sick, and imprisoned. In this context, Jesus is speaking to those on His right, that is, the righteous. The needy are called Christ’s “brothers”; thus, the reference is to the righteous helping fellow disciples. Jesus said that those who cared for such individuals were not merely serving other people. They were serving Him.
In the same passage, the opposite is also noted. The narrative concludes with Jesus condemning those who saw believers in need and yet did not help. He says,
“For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’”
Jesus connected service to the needy with eternal rewards and punishments. Though salvation is by faith alone apart from good deeds (Ephesians 2:8–9), the redeemed will be “eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:14), including extending charity to fellow believers in difficult situations. Those whose lives are marked by apathy toward the needy show they have not been transformed by the grace of Jesus Christ.
God has always shown a special concern for the poor and needy (Psalm 35:10). It should come as no surprise that He expects His followers to do the same, especially toward those of the family of God (Galatians 6:10). What is surprising about the “least of these” is that our service is ultimately not to the poor, but to Christ Himself.
Read more: Who are the "least of these" in the Bible?
So even if the man in Jay's scenario was Jesus or not it would have been no different if we were handing the bread to a normal man or to Jesus himself.
Jay knew that I love my little brother so much, that my little brother is my best friend and I'd do anything for him. So moving along he asked me something along the lines of "What if it was just you and your brother during difficult times. Not being able to afford food and things such as these. You only had one loaf of bread left in the fridge. Then someone comes along and he is a man that is starving hardly making it by. Would you give the bread to him or to your brother who is also hurting from less food?"
I actually had to sit back taking this make believe situation seriously, thinking what I would really do. I came to a conclusion admitting I would give the bread to the man, trusting God as well as knowing my brother would trust God as well. I believe I said I'd look for food the best I could. Jay then revealed to me asking "What if that man was Jesus?" "You would have given Jesus the food He needed to get through another day."
This was somewhat intriguing to me. And maybe others saw it coming but I didn't. It really began to have me think over time about this scenario and after I had been asked what I would do, I later came across a study in the bible about 'The Least of These'.
The “least of these” is a phrase that originates from Matthew 25:31–46, where Jesus speaks of those in need. Verses 35–40 read,
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”
The “least of these” refers to those in a variety of needy situations. They include the hungry, thirsty, impoverished, sick, and imprisoned. In this context, Jesus is speaking to those on His right, that is, the righteous. The needy are called Christ’s “brothers”; thus, the reference is to the righteous helping fellow disciples. Jesus said that those who cared for such individuals were not merely serving other people. They were serving Him.
In the same passage, the opposite is also noted. The narrative concludes with Jesus condemning those who saw believers in need and yet did not help. He says,
“For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’”
Jesus connected service to the needy with eternal rewards and punishments. Though salvation is by faith alone apart from good deeds (Ephesians 2:8–9), the redeemed will be “eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:14), including extending charity to fellow believers in difficult situations. Those whose lives are marked by apathy toward the needy show they have not been transformed by the grace of Jesus Christ.
God has always shown a special concern for the poor and needy (Psalm 35:10). It should come as no surprise that He expects His followers to do the same, especially toward those of the family of God (Galatians 6:10). What is surprising about the “least of these” is that our service is ultimately not to the poor, but to Christ Himself.
Read more: Who are the "least of these" in the Bible?
So even if the man in Jay's scenario was Jesus or not it would have been no different if we were handing the bread to a normal man or to Jesus himself.