the sheep and the goats

Oh. I don't want to be one of the goats.  I really don't want to be a goat.

There is a parable that Jesus tells in Matthew chapter 25.  He is sharing a picture of what will happen when He returns and all of the nations are gathered before Him.  He then begins to separate them putting the "sheep" on His right and the "goats" on His left.  He says to the sheep that they are blessed and invites them to take hold of their inheritance and enter into the kingdom that has been prepared for them.  Why?  

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."

                   He then turns to those on the left and commands them to depart from Him, calling them cursed and ordering them into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  "Why?"  they asked. 

"For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me."                     

Well, clearly we are the sheep right?  Right?!?  I mean, I would never turn my back on someone who was hungry or thirsty.  I take care of sick people.  I donate my old clothes.  I'm nice to strangers (as long as I'm not by myself in a dark alley at night).  I'm definitely a sheep........right??  Thankfully, the grace of God has rescued me and made me a sheep.  My salvation is secure because of the work of Christ, but a lot of times my life looks like a goat.  I can try to convince myself that I'm caring for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the oppressed, the widow, the orphan, the stranger, BUT what am I really doing?   

I think this paraphrase of the above passage of Jesus speaking to the goats is worth repeating.  It has stuck with me ever since I read it months ago.  It has been on my mind a lot lately since I'm in the middle of a Bible study on "justice" and just finished the 7 project food and clothing weeks.  It's not Scripture.  It's just one man's interpretation.  It's his artistic expression, but it cut deep!

"For I was hungry, while you had all you needed.  I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water.  I was a stranger, and you wanted me deported.  I needed clothes, but you needed more clothes.  I was sick, and you pointed out the behaviors that led to my sickness.  I was in prison, and you said I was getting what I deserved."

                ~Richard Stearns, President of World Vision

Wow!! That is all.  After that, I can say no more.