“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 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 25:44).

It’s amazing that a person can read the Bible for years and still find truth that was overlooked. I grew up in church and I had read this verse many times. One phrase, though, grabbed me recently. “When did we see you?” The underlying problem of those Jesus accused of lacking compassion was that they didn’t see.

I can be guilty of the same selective blindness. How easy it is to miss noticing the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the one needing clothes, the sick or the prisoner. We can’t individually help everyone who has a need, but we can “see” the ones God puts in our paths. Jesus added a remarkable comment. When we help them we are doing it for Him. To ignore them is to ignore Him.

We once sang a chorus in church, “Open my eyes, Lord, I want to see Jesus.” I think that we meant by that a spiritual encounter with Him during the meeting. That is a wonderful goal and a worthwhile experience. But maybe it means more than that. Maybe Jesus wants us to see Him in the thirsty, hungry stranger.

When we stand before Jesus we may be surprised at the ways we encountered Him. The righteous Jesus mentioned in this Scripture certainly were. Their question, “When did we see you?” gives that away.

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’ ” (Matthew 25:37-40).