Doing it to the least of these, doing it to Christ

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)

I don’t know why I didn’t see this before when reading these verses, but I realized recently that Jesus was using the fact of His vicarious sacrifice and suffering to plead for charity. 

Because He suffered the pains and sicknesses and sins and suffering of all, He also knows when that suffering has ended as others have relieved it with kindness.  Reducing others’ suffering quite literally reduces Christ’s suffering too by extension, and He rewards even the smallest charitable act.