“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:
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” (vs. 35,36)
Here we see the six basic needs of man. These are hunger, thirst, companionship, clothing, health and freedom, and they are all met in Christ. The point here though is that when we help our brothers and sisters in Christ we do it also unto Him, even the “least of these”. (vs. 40 and 45). Jesus is teaching us to be hospitable. As we are somewhat blessed by God Himself, we are able to pass along these blessings unto others, and be assured that they will be restored unto us again, and so the cycle goes. It is easy for us to understand the hunger and thirst, but we seem to fall short of these commitments after that, at least I do. When was the last time we took in a stranger that needed a place to lay his head? Or even a missionary that comes to a strange town and has no friends or relatives there? I must confess, I never have. I have visited the sick many times, and even in the jails, but never have I done all of these things that the Lord is rebuking the nations that are gathered before Him for not doing, even as He commends the righteous nations for doing them.
Notice with me though, that these very things are what we have received of the Lord! He provides our food, as that spiritual Bread which cometh down from Heaven. These are all provided for us spiritually, as well as physically. He gives us the Water of Life for all who are thirsty, and desire a drink of the Living waters; He adopted us into His family, and took us in as wayward children and homeless waifs; He clothes us with robes of righteousness obtained for us at Calvary; He visits us often with the blessed Holy Spirit, and remains a Comfort to us always; and He sets us free from the bondage of sin, and gives us a great liberty in Jesus. Oh rejoice, what a blessed, loving God we serve. He has nourished our bodies with meat, and fed our souls with a different meat, until we have no need of anything, and can say along with the psalmist, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want”.
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