As I reflect on my life, I find it quite interesting what people, which moments, and the circumstances that have made the most lasting impressions and have had the greatest impact. Some, unfortunately bad; others, quite exhilarating; while many, deeply reflective.
I remember the first time I heard Keith Green's, The Sheep and the Goats. This is his musical rendition of Jesus' teaching from Matthew 25:31-46..."but when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him..."
Most of us are very familiar with the passage. I, myself, was so (un)familiar with the passage that I had missed the most important concept within those sixteen verses. The way Keith emphasizes..."you did it unto Me" in verse 40 and "you did not do it to Me" in verse 45 began a transformation in the way I live life. Jesus is referring to what the 'sheep' and the 'goats' did and didn't do.
Honestly and truthfully, I had never perceived that what I did or did not do for a fellow human as being the same response that I would have for Jesus Himself.
"Now wait a minute, Lee. That is not actually true! Because I know if Jesus Himself was in need of a shirt or jeans, I would give Him mine; if He was hungry and thirsty, I would definitely go get Him something to eat and drink immediately; if He was feeling lonely, I would spend time with Him; if He...." You get the picture.
Any one of us would emphatically claim, "If it really was Jesus Himself, then..." And yet, what I continue to learn from this passage is this: That in every person I meet, in every situation I encounter along my way, Jesus said, "That's Me". No matter how hard I try to explain this truth away, honestly, it just will not let go. THE WAY I JUST DEALT WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL, IS EXACTLY THE WAY I WOULD HAVE TREATED JESUS!
And this teaching penetrates even deeper for me, because Jesus also mentions the "least of these" in this passage.
NO, please no, not the least!!!
From this passage, the Spirit of God has convicted me to ask myself this question at the end of each day, "How did I treat that 'least' person in my life today?" And who may this least person be? Well, for me he or she takes the form of the homeless, the one who is lonely, an enemy, a stranger, or even the one who misunderstands me. And so this spiritual maturity process grows even deeper with the evaluation that THE WAY I DEALT WITH THE 'LEAST OF THESE' TODAY PROCLAIMS THE WAY I WOULD HAVE TREATED JESUS TODAY!
WOW!
I thank you God for revealing this eternal truth to me through Keith Green's song. Daily, I must ask for wisdom from above to carry it out in my life only to the glory of You and Your Son. Amen
