Matthew 25:33-46 KJV
(33) And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
(34) Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
(35) For I was an hungred, 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.
(41) Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
(42) For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
(43) I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
(44) Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
(45) Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
(46) And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Some thing I do on this site is repetitive and some things not. Something repetitive like Sunday sermons this time of year. How do you shake up certain times of year like Thanksgiving and Christmas so that the meaning comes more real to the people around you. Then some things repetitive is good, because it also a time of remembering others even more so during the feasting and celebration of the bounty God has provided over the year. Yet giving really should be given through out the year. If you do not have it to give do not worry because your opportunity to share will come and if nothing more then praying for someone is all you can do it is enough.

A few years a go I had opportunity to give a Bible to a friend and it was returned to me. Yet I knew the person had a heart of gold. The man was dying and laid in the hospital and I could not go out of town to get to where he was. All I could do is pray, Lord send a minister. The minister that did the man’s funeral told a wonderful story how he felt lead by God to go and see the man in the hospital. He talked him through salvation plan and he received Christ. At the funeral two more got saved. All I could think was Praise God my prayer was answer and was blessed. Just because someone rejects your efforts does not mean God is not working on the problem. Had God given the man one last chance to hear the gospel because of his good deeds and heart. I have to think so, for no one could of pictured this man going to hell, yet if he had not received Christ that where he would of gone. God was speaking even when I was sharing. I know that because when I prayed for the man, I knew in my own heart God was working. I can not see what God was doing, but I could feel His Spirit speaking to my heart wait and see.

We do not know how bread given to the poor will help a person. There are stories, many of us have heard of wood being left at the neighbors door. The woman inside not rich or being able to buy fuel for the fire, yet the wood was needed to keep a little boy warm. No doubt that boy grew up to be a man that learn to chop his own wood, but had the kindness of strangers giving the little boy hope of another tomorrow. We do not know what the kindness we show to someone will do later in life. Yet what we do know that sometimes it helps and sometimes it does not.

What the point if what I give is only a waste of time is there any benefits. If what I give helps someone up to fight another day what is that reward. Our reward is not earthly, our reward can be earthly later in life or down the road a little ways for the blessings of God comes both now and future. Yet what we do get is blessing of knowing we obeyed the Lord. That why even though the Bible was first rejected it did not mean it would not be received once given once more. Or bear fruit even if you did not see the production of fruit from what you did. Our job is to obey the Lord. Do what He requires us to do. To walk by the Spirit. Yet giving a piece of Bread does not take God prompting to do. Many give without knowing they are obeying the Lord. Yet this obeying might give a person one last opportunity to receive the truth of the Gospel of Jesus. Many rich give to the poor but it those who have not that sacrifice for others that know the reward. Yet that kind smile to those helping in soup kitchens is sometimes enough to allow those helping, know they are appreciated.

Give to someone that has less then you do and you will know the effects it has, or maybe should have. Sometimes a person does not see the benefits of giving to a person, nor the understanding of the rejection of the gift. Yet the purpose of giving is to give a hand up and not hand out always. Yet sometimes it is a hand out. Yet when a person give it should not matter it should just be given. It nice when you get to see joy in a person or the benefits of what you have given, but it not always the case. Take old garments that you out grown but are good, you might never know how it is used. Yet the joy of knowing someone else will get good use out of them makes a big difference. And plus it not going to waste.

God sees all we do for others. Yet God weighs the heart and the spirit that what is given. The other day in town I watched as a Veteran asked for money and the stranger told the vet does not the government give you money. The reply was not enough. I was angry at the attitude and realized I had not dime to share, yet the truth of the matter what people fail to realize is we do not always know how we give is used. I know if that person had asked that Vet, he would of told him just where his dime was going. How it would be used to help with Veteran project, or trip. How they serve still even after retirement in hospitals and nursing homes. Yet the boy did not stop and I had no time either, but there is a point to the story, few realize what these men and women did in and for our country, for many are foreign wars. We need to wake up it is better to fight away then at home. It better to serve in foreign field then at home. Yet what we fail to realize is giving also begins in the home. If we never learn to give here all we learn is to fight over there. The world only know our hate and not our love or even God’s love. Our sacrifice is for the Veterans sacrifice helps with foreign policy as well as allowed some to know the kindness of these people as well. It not all blood and gore over there.

Jesus talks about giving and the separating of those who gave and those that did not. Yet those that did give were righteous by the standards of do gooders and not based on giving with faith. Abraham obeyed God and it was counted as righteousness. Yet God taught him faith. God wants to teach the do gooders about faith. Not just for them to give without faith. God is not going to leave those without faith, that do good very long without hearing His message of Salvation. He cares for each of them and He blesses them either on earth or also in Heaven. Good works can not save you but it does show obedience to God whether you know Him or not. In truth God rather someone doing His will then not doing His will. He not going to forget your love, but He still know your heart on how you gave, whether you gave with reward in mind. Give without expecting anything back and if God rewards you with that person smile, consider yourself blessed.

Dear Heavenly Father teach us obedience to your word, and those without faith give that knowledge that they are obeying your word despite the fact they do not believe. Let them see the benefits of obeying you whether they know it or not. Wake them so they can have faith in you. In Jesus precious name, Amen.