What are Matthew 25 Principles?
Edgewater Presbyterian Church members enjoy a soup feast. Photo: Gerald Farinas.
I was talking to a group and casually mentioned how disgusting it was that $100 million was just spent in the April 1 Wisconsin Supreme Court race.
An electric car titan paid potential voters and then he was countered by billionaires JB Pritzker and George Soros (whose family fled Nazi and Communist totalitarianism)—afraid of the consequences of a far-rightward shift on a bell-weather state judicial branch.
I said, “Imagine all the things $100 million can go towards in terms of Matthew 25 Principles.”
I referred to Matthew 25 Principles—forgetting audience members weren’t all familiar with Christian scripture.
“What are Matthew 25 Principles?” someone asked.
I call them Matthew 25 Principles because they’re from one of the most powerful teachings of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 25, verses 31–46.
In this passage, Jesus describes the final judgment, separating the righteous from the unrighteous based on how they treated the “least of these.”
It’s a sobering and deeply practical picture of discipleship: The love we show to others—especially the vulnerable—is love shown to Christ Himself.
What Are the Matthew 25 Principles?
At their core, the Matthew 25 Principles are about living a faith that acts—rooted in Jesus’ words!
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” —Matthew 25:35–36 (NRSVue)
These principles can be summarized in six key calls to action:
1. Feed the hungry
2. Give drink to the thirsty
3. Welcome the stranger
4. Clothe the naked
5. Care for the sick
6. Visit the imprisoned
Each of these reflects a concrete expression of love and justice.
They are not abstract ideals—they are deeply human needs that we are called to meet with dignity and compassion!
Practicing Matthew 25 today
Living out these principles isn’t limited to grand gestures. It often starts with small, faithful actions in our daily lives.
Here’s how we can embody each one:
1. Feed the hungry
Support local food pantries, participate in community meals, or keep non-perishables in your car to hand out.
Generations ago, Edgewater Presbyterian Church became one of the founding partners that created the Edgewater Community Religious Association (ECRA)—which confronted food insecurity by opening Care For Real.
Last year, that food pantry had more than 48,000 visits by food insecure neighbors—served by 2.8 million pounds of food donations.
Recognize food insecurity not as a statistic, but as a human reality—seniors skipping meals because all the money went to medicine, working adults whose wages barely cover rent and utilities, children crying because they don’t understand why there’s nothing in the fridge or cabinet to soften the pangs.
2. Give drink to the thirsty
Clean water access is a global issue.
Consider supporting organizations that build wells or distribute water filters—like Rotary International.
Note and disclaimer: Rotary International has 4 stars from Charity Navigator—the highest score for how charities spend their money. Donate today at rotary.org. I am a member of the Evanston Nouveau Rotary Club.
Locally, handing out bottled water during hot weather or offering drinks to the homeless can be a simple but powerful act.
3. Welcome the stranger
Immigrants and asylum seekers are in the news daily.
Threats against them keep mounting as non-criminal migrants are being sent to concentration camp-type prisons in El Salvador without due process and based on ignorant ideas about tattoos and dress.
Children raised in America are being deported to countries where they have no known family members, no place to shelter, no money in their pockets, and even have zero understanding of the language.
This call to welcome the stranger is urgent.
We can welcome strangers by volunteering with refugee resettlement agencies, extending hospitality to newcomers, or simply by being intentionally inclusive in our communities.
Edgewater Presbyterian Church houses Humanity Relief, an organization that find homes for asylum seekers and refugees, get them furniture and food sources, and resources for children.
Our church houses an organization that hosts after school programs for Syrian refugee children. Another organization in our building hosts a Nepali senior center on our first floor—to help elders socialize and do activities together.
4. Clothe the naked
Donate clothing that’s in good condition, volunteer at shelters, or support organizations that provide professional attire for job seekers. Make sure your giving affirms dignity, not pity.
Our church houses Edgewater Mutual Aid Network, which not only feed the food insecure (many who do work but don’t make a living wage) but also give out warm clothes in our harsh Chicago winters and icy springs.
5. Care for the sick
Visit the elderly, support those with chronic illness, or volunteer at hospitals and hospices. If you’re a healthcare professional, see your work as a ministry of healing and presence.
Our church recently donated mission funds to NAMI for mental health, and Chicago’s Nigerian Nurses Association which provides free public clinics.
We also have musicians who share space in our building who perform for seniors in assisted living and skilled nursing facilities.
6. Visit the imprisoned
Mass incarceration is a major issue. And our denomination has often argued of the injustice imprisoning Black and Brown Americans more than any other demographic—because of structural racism built into our nation’s courts.
You can support prison ministry efforts, write letters to inmates, or advocate for criminal justice reform.
Our denomination has worked to end capital punishment.
Sometimes, just showing up and listening to incarcerated or formerly incarcerated youths can offer someone hope.
Why It matters
Matthew 25 is more than a checklist—it’s a mirror.
It reflects the heart of Jesus, who identifies Himself with the marginalized.
When we care for “the least of these,” we are encountering Christ.
These principles call us to a faith that is not just personal, but public; not just spiritual, but deeply practical.
In a time when religion can feel disconnected from real-life suffering, Matthew 25 grounds us. It reminds us that our worship of God must move us toward compassion, justice, and solidarity with the poor and oppressed.
We have to be Matthew 25 people
Matthew 25 Principles challenge us to examine our priorities and our love.
They ask whether our faith makes a difference in the lives of others.
And they invite us to live in such a way that, when we meet Christ, we’ll hear those cherished words:
“Well done, good and trustworthy servant.” —Matthew 25:21 (NRSVue)
Let’s be people who don’t just believe in Jesus—but who follow Him, especially into the places where love is needed most.
Evanston Nouveau Rotary Club cleaned all the Evanston Community Fridges and filled them with food—some paid from the fridge organizations’ funds while others were paid out of pocket by club members. Photo: Gerald Farinas.
Gerry from Edgewater Mutual Aid Network shares about their organization’s work in the neighborhood. They are an unaffiliated non-religious organization sharing space in our church building that distributes fresh produce to the food insecure. Photo: Gerald Farinas.
