Welcome to today's encouragement from our daily bread. I'm Amy Boucher Pie and I called our reading

Serving Jesus. In the early 1800s, Elizabeth Fry was appalled by the conditions in a London

women's prison.

Women and their children were crowded together and made to sleep on cold stone floors.

Although they weren't given bedding, a tap flowed with gin.

For years, she visited the prison and ushered in change by providing clothes,

opening a school, and teaching the Bible.

But many saw her biggest influence as her loving presence and clear messages of hope.

In her action, she followed Jesus' invitation to serve those in need.

For instance, while on the Mount of Olives, Christ shared several stories about the end of the age,

including one about the welcome of the righteous to eternal life in Matthew 25.

In this story, the king tells the righteous people that they gave him something to drink,

invited him in, and visited him in prison.

When they couldn't recall doing so, the king responds,

Whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine,

you did for me.

What a wonder that when we serve others with the help of the Holy Spirit, we serve Jesus. We can follow Elizabeth Fry's example, and we can also serve from home,

such as through intercessory prayer or sending encouraging messages. Jesus welcomes us to love him as we use

our spiritual gifts and talents to assist others. Our passage from scripture for today's

reading is from Matthew chapter 25 verses 31 through 40.

When the son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, he will sit on his

glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people

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