.Sheep or Goat?.

Matthew 25 has this incredible account of Jesus describing His own judgment on the nations... Now, for those of us who get caught up in some of the details... the question arises, "When does this happen, and who is Jesus judging?" While I recognize there could be a variety of answers to that question, one thing is clear:

The standard is NOT exclusive to this one judgement!

A person only needs to look up the themes of poverty and justice in the Bible to find that we are called over and over to care for the poor and the needy... the orphan and widow. But back to Matthew, Jesus describes this scene where He is separating the sheep (true followers) from the goats (those who claim Christ, but do nothing for the "least of these"). Jesus gives us the gold standard when He says,

"I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me."

It makes e think of the book of James... "...be doers of the Word and not hearers only..." or "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble..." or "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?" or "...even the demons believe-and tremble..."

It looks to me like James got it... What good is head knowledge if our hearts aren't broken? What good is a broken heart if it doesn't move our hands?

According to Matthew 25, "...inasmuch as you did {or not} it to one of the least of these, you did {or not} it to me..."

Jesus, give me your eyes...

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