Matthew 25:40 and motives in disability ministry
Reflecting on Matthew 25:40, this article revisits how Christians think about serving “the least of these,” especially in ministry with families affected by disabilities. It considers how service can become self-focused and calls readers to examine motives. The piece also highlights how believers can learn from those they serve and discover that “the least of these” includes all of us.
- Matthew 25:40 invites reflection on serving others as serving Christ.
- The parable challenges believers to examine motives, not just actions.
- Ministry with families with disabilities can be mutual—giving and receiving.
By Mark A. Taylor
Rethinking Matthew 25:40 in disability ministry
Many years ago Jim Pierson told me he had decided to quit using Matthew 25:40 in his talks about ministering to those with disabilities.
I accepted his comment without question. He is president of Christian Church Foundation for the Handicapped, an expert in disability ministry, consultant to Standard Publishing, a Christian college teacher, author, and a sought after speaker and trainer. He certainly knows more than enough about disability ministry among and for Christians to decide for himself how the Bible applies.
But I’ve been thinking again about this verse as we’ve finished this week’s issue.
“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me,” said the king in Jesus’ parable. What a wonderful thought to believe that when we feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, and visit those in prison, we’re actually serving Christ himself! Certainly the same principle applies as we minister to families with disabilities.
Serving with joy, not for advantage
But William Barclay points out that this parable depicts those who served simply for the joy of doing their good deeds, not to curry favor with the king. “Uncalculating” is the way Barclay describes them in his Daily Bible Study Series. They didn’t know their good deeds served the king until the king told them. If this fact had been advertised beforehand, some would have served only to get his attention. Their service would have amounted to little more than a disguised selfishness.
But now all of us see the whole picture; Jesus described it here. Our service to others is to Jesus himself. And so we’re under the burden of evaluating our motive: Do we seek most to meet their need? Or are we really trying (maybe without realizing it) to look good to others, to God or to ourselves?
It is easy to feel whole by concentrating on the brokenness of someone else. The prisoners, the homeless, the hungry, the sick they need a taste of the wonderful life I’ve created. These families whose children can’t do what mine can how pitiful and unfortunate they are!
Learning from families with disabilities
But we can learn from the poor and the lonely. And we can discover joy and selflessness and commitment to Christ among those with disabilities and their families. We should serve out of our need as much as because of theirs. We should seek to learn as well as to teach. We should not be surprised when we receive as much as we give.
In God’s scheme of things, “one of the least of these” includes me too. A ministry to families with disabilities may be one of the best ways for me to discover that.
Author: Mark A. Taylor
Mark A. Taylor, who served as Christian Standard editor from 2003 to 2017, retired in June 2017 after almost 41 years with Standard Publishing (Christian Standard Media).
