Today's readings: Matthew 23-25
Sheep or Goat?
Scripture
[Jesus speaking] "But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. Then the King will say to those on the right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.'
"Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?' And the King will tell them, 'I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'
"Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, 'Away with you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his demons! For I was hungry, and you didn't feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn't give me anything to drink. I was a stranger, and you didn't invite me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me no clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn't visit me.'
"Then they will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?' And he will answer, 'I assure you, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me. And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.'"
Matthew 25.31-46
Observation
Jesus makes it very clear that we are to help others [not judge where they are]--and in that way demonstrate that His love lives in us.
Application [How will I be different today because of what I have just read?]
It is easy to drive or walk past someone who needs help--thinking . . . . in my "righteousness". . . . that they are not deserving of my help--afterall, they could get a job and make better choices.
What if Jesus allowed them to be in the position where they needed help to see if I would help them? What if it is Jesus that I am walking or driving past?
When Jesus talks about the "least of these" he is not just talking about those I feel are deserving of my help--but anyone who needs help.
And what is interesting in these verses is that I don't hear Jesus telling them to just "throw money at them" --but to invest in the person--to feed the hungry, to give a drink to the thirsty, to invite folks into our home, to clothe the naked, to care for the sick, and to visit those in prison. Giving money is easy, but it isn't very personal. Helping folks means getting involved.
This is going to require me to step outside of my comfort zone. I don't mind helping with money--but to get involved in someone's life is completely different. Am I a sheep or a goat? Am I willing to do what God is calling me to do? Am I willing to love the unloveable, the outcast?? I can only do it if I see myself doing it for Jesus. I have to look through different eyes.
Prayer
Father God, this isn't going to come easy . . . . but I want to love in Your name. I want to reach out in Your name. I want to see people through Your eyes, not mine. May my heart be broken in the same way Your's is over the lost and outcast. I need more of You in my life to do this Lord. Fill me to overflowing. Thank You for trusting me with helping and loving others, I pray that I will be a faithful servant. In Jesus name
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