June 4
Sheep, Goats, and “the Least of These”
Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” ––Matthew 25:37-40
I have always contended that to truly serve Christ on earth according to His callings and commands, we must serve the afflicted and the poor. I realize that for me to even make that statement, I run the risk of sounding political or polarizing. So let me clarify: Jesus’ mandate about helping “the least of these” transcends denomination, political affiliation, nationality, culture, ethnicity, race, and every other conceivable metric we might point to in our world.
In our journey as God’s men, we must stand up and take notice of Jesus’ words:
Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 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 25:34-36
This scripture is taken from the Parable of the Sheep and Goats, in which Jesus makes a clear distinction between those who practice compassion and service (sheep), and those who turn their backs on the poor (the goats). He doesn’t mince words, either! Here’s what Jesus says about the goats: ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25: 41).
Is Jesus’ saying that unless we have compassion on the poor we will go to hell? Rather, I believe He’s telling us that if we truly are His sons and daughters (His sheep), then acts of kindness and charity toward the less fortunate will be a natural outgrowth of our faith.
Perhaps finances are tight for you. I get it. I’ve been there in my life. But even if you don’t have a lot to give financially, the Lord sees the heart. That’s why Jesus commended the poor widow for her modest gift of two widow’s mites to the Temple treasury in Luke 21:1-4 (a widow’s mite would be worth about $1-$2).
However we give our time, our treasure, or our talents to helping those less fortunate than us, God sees our heart. The key is to take that first step—you won’t regret it.
Lord, thank You that You call me one of Your sheep, rather than one of the goats. Please root out any “goatish” behavior or thinking that might still be part of my mindset, and help me to develop a deeper, stronger heart for the poor and afflicted.