ESOCS Devotional 13 January 2026 -The Call to Action
MEMORY VERSE: “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’” Matthew 25:45 NIV
TEXT: MATTHEW 25:31-END
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44 “Then they also will answer Him, 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?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
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Faith is not only about beliefs but about action. James 2:17 teaches, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” True faith naturally results in acts of kindness, mercy, and justice. Jesus’ statement in Matthew 25:45 challenges us: neglecting those in need is neglecting Christ Himself.
The “least of these” refers to the marginalized, poor, hungry, sick, and imprisoned. Proverbs 19:17 says, “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord.” Serving others is not optional but a direct service to God. Jesus identified Himself with the vulnerable (Luke 4:18), making their care a priority for His followers.
This verse also speaks of accountability. Jesus warns that ignoring the needs of others will have eternal consequences. In 2 Corinthians 5:10, Paul reminds us, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due for the things done while in the body.” Our actions or inactions matter deeply.
The gospel is good news not only in word but in deed. Acts of compassion demonstrate God’s love and open hearts to Christ. Galatians 5:6 says, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Loving action is the proof of genuine faith.
Reflections
- Who are the “least” people God is calling you to serve today?
- Are there areas where your faith needs to be expressed more through action?
- How can you better embody Christ’s love in practical ways?
Prayer
- Lord, open my eyes to see the needs around me. Give me a heart of compassion that moves me to action. Help me to serve others as if I am serving you. Make me faithful in caring for the least, remembering that in doing so, I am honouring you. Amen.
Further Reading: Isaiah 5:24-End; Zechariah 13:1-End; Revelation 22:6-13
ESOCS Devotional 13 January 2026
