I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!

~Matthew 25:40 NLT

He pushed a buggy and always seemed in a hurry.

The Challenge

“I hate to throw away these leftovers,” my wife said after we finished supper.

Cooking for two people is challenging, and she had prepared too much for our New Year’s meal. We had eaten leftovers twice and still had more to consume.

“What don’t I warm them up for the man down the street who has no home?” she asked, her big heart swelling with tears.

Recently, two men without a permanent place to stay had moved into our area. One stayed in a small shack by a local business. So my wife warmed up the leftovers and placed them in several to-go plates. We pulled up to his humble shelter and offered him the food. But his response wasn’t what we anticipated.

The Response

“You can take it and give it to your dogs,” he muttered as he shook his head back and forth.

“But, it’s home-cooked food,” my wife protested.

Her pleading did no good. He grew more irritated and made more demeaning remarks. He wanted money to buy his own food, but would not take our free food. Perhaps he struggled with mental challenges. Maybe he feared we would poison him.

“Just leave,” I finally told my wife. And we did as he continued to rant and rave.

Jesus lists the thirsty, hungry, prisoners, naked, strangers, and sick among those we should serve in His name. But He never said our efforts would be easy, convenient, or always accepted with warmth and appreciation.

Having this one unpleasant encounter would make it easy to stereotype all those who live on the street. Instead, I prayed for him that night, asking God to soften his heart toward people who might try to help him. And when God prompts us, my wife and I will help again.

God judges our motives, not the people’s response to our efforts. He holds us accountable for doing the right thing, whether others appreciate it or not. And doing the right thing always feels right because it is the right thing to do. God’s love cannot be contained in a body. It must flow to others as God designed.

Don’t let fear, inconvenience, or bad experiences keep you from spreading God’s love.

Father, give me opportunities to serve the least of this world, realizing that I could be where they are.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2026: Why Serving the Least of These Still Matters: Martin Wiles: All Rights Reserved.