Passage Read: Matthew 25-26
Meditation Verse: 25:40
Thought
We are supposed to care about all people, but especially those who belong to Jesus, brothers and sisters. Jesus did good to everyone who came to Him, but they came to Him because they believed enough about Him to sell helping from Him. Whether they understand everything about Jesus, they knew He had power to heal all kinds of diseases and cast out demons. When they came, they would hear Him teaching and have the chance to learn more about Him. If they left with their healing but not with a desire to know Jesus better or believe more completely in Him, then they remained lost in their sins, and their healing was only a temporary blessing; they would still die and face eternal judgment. But Jesus told His disciples that they would be known by their love for one another. That should stand out beyond any kindness we show to unbelievers. Opening our home to brothers or sisters in need, sending money to poor Christians or those in desperate straits, feeding and clothing brothers and sisters near or far. There should be joyful caring for those in any need, whether sick or in prison. We're to love other believers, not just in word but in deed. And our deeds for them should be greater than our deeds for unbelievers, even though our hope is that the lost would be saved when they experienced our kindness towards them.
Application
Jesus sets up this great comparison with this foreshadowing of the final judgment. The sheep and the goats don't represent outright wicked people versus believers. It's a comparison between those who are nice or think they're nice, those who think they're Christian versus those who truly are. There are many who talk about good causes and being helpful and kind, but they're just words. They don't do anything to really help even fellow believers! They're cultural Christians who have been given a sense of good, but they direct it in all kinds of ungodly ways, ways that God doesn't care about. And the believers who are doing and promoting the will and ways of God, the goats look on them as problematic, because they make the gospel such a big part of everything. The goats believe people shouldn't have to hear the Gospel to receive help, and the ones helped shouldn't be "shamed" for their bad choices that perhaps led them to their present needy circumstances by being offered counseling or training to help them prevent a repeat of their present need. The goats are "good" people who neither know nor love Jesus, but rather want to be nice in their own way that doesn't cost them too much but allows them to feel superior to those who do love and serve Jesus. I especially need to be concerned for those who are serving Jesus and suffering need, who truly belong to Him and need help. These are the ones I should love more than anyone else.