Think about the broader implications of the Savior’s message to those who will ultimately make it to heaven, as recorded in Matthew 25:34-50

34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35  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:

36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee?  or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in?  or naked, and clothed thee?

39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Matt. 25:34 – 40

Caring For Young Children

When my mother would visit my wife and me as we had a young family, almost always during her visit she would say, “This is the best time in your lives.  You will look back on these days with fondness.”

That was easy for her to say.  Or perhaps so I thought sometimes.  I would try to be happy with the struggles of caring for small children.  But at times it seemed it kept me from doing all those good things that would make a big difference; even perhaps the service I thought the Savior wanted me to perform.

At first, I thought that his injunction seems to exclude parents, who have to spend so much time caring for small children.  I can imagine it in my minds eye:  A couple stands before the Savior.  They are tired from caring for their children day and night, trying to make ends meet, and spend what little extra time they have outside of their family doing their best in small volunteering efforts perhaps. 

The Savior says to them, “Come…inherit the kingdom prepared for you.”  Just as the Savior said, they look at him incredulously; “When did we have a significant amount of time to do all those things?  We have barely kept up on going to church, perhaps teaching a child’s class or helping with the youth, let alone taking in the homeless.  We tried to do some ministering, but that was really a very small amount of time.  Such a minuscule amount of time serving our fellow man can qualify one for heaven?”

Then perhaps the Savior will remind them of the importance of children in his eyes, and the way in which they fulfilled their parental obligations.  Perhaps speaking as one of their children, he might say:

• “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat.”  Their eyes would be open to those times when they wondered if they would be able to fill up a teenage boy. 
• “I was thirsty, and ye game me drink.”  They envision providing a drink to toddler, perhaps about one thousand sips a day sometimes. 
• “I was a stranger, and ye took me in.”  That time when they helped a child make a friend when shy at the birthday party, or wrapped one in a blanket when scared of the dark. 
• “Naked, and ye clothed me.”  No one is as naked as a newborn baby.  And then there were the grass stains that ruined the new jeans, and the spot on that pretty dress.  The unending sorting of clothes that no longer fit, and the need to help teenage girls find something they look nice in. 
• “I was sick, and ye visited me.”  In the middle of the night, and you stayed with me for hours and hours. 
• “I was in [trouble at school], and ye came unto me.”

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Our Work

This same passage can be used to help us feel better about how we spend so much of the rest of our lives outside of our families, in our employment.

I have thought and written about how our work lives seem to get in the way of what Christ was suggesting we should do for years. But using this passage, consider how else those destined for heaven might react as they look incredulously at the Savior as he bids them welcome.

• “I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat:” Those who have worked in farming, groceries, food supply, restaurant, food manufacturing, shipping, nutrition and related industries will all have their eyes open to how much they did to serve their fellow man.
• “I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink:” All the above plus those in beverage, water management, environmental services and others will similarly be surprised.
• “I was a stranger, and ye took me in:” The eyes of those in hospitality, housing and real estate, construction, and associated business will be opened.
• “Naked, and ye clothed me:” Clothing, retail, textiles, manufacturing, logistics, and a host of other industries.
• “I was sick, and ye visited me:” Medical and social services, among many others.
• “I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” Public safety and corrections, but also those trapped in prisons of ignorance visited by teachers, and education professionals, church and civic organizations, and even governmental services.

In this simple list it is difficult to think of an industry that cannot be classified as assisting with one of these areas of service to humanity.

I tend to think most people are bound for heaven ultimately, because most people spend most of their lives in these kinds of endeavors.

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”