No Room For Apathy

Read: Matthew 25:31-46

All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Matthew 25:32

IN WORD

All of those parables about the day of separation—harvesting weeds out of the field and choosing the good fish from the dragnet—point to this. There will come a time when Jesus calls the nations before Him. All the ethnoi, the people groups of the world, those tribes and tongues we see in Revelation, will stand in His presence. This will not be a reckoning hidden away in some obscure corner of civilization; it will be a global event.

And there will be no in-between categories. He will separate His world into sheep and goats, those who belong in the flock and those who don’t. No matter how secure we are in Christ, that event will be filled with epic nerve-racking drama. We see the criteria He uses. Who took care of Him when He was sick and hurting? When He was a stranger or a prisoner? When He needed something to wear? Who recognized His fellowship with the hurting and who didn’t? Who lived with compassion whether or not they saw Him in the lives of the needy?

Regardless of our current standing with Him—in the faith or outside of it, secure or a little uncertain—this parable issues a clear call to demonstrate the mercy and compassion of God. The Spirit within us will do that, if He is truly within us. If we notice a lack of compassion in ourselves, we should be bothered. We are to some degree out of fellowship with Him. We need Him to influence our hearts, to stir us up, to move us out into desperate places with a visible, tangible message of Good News. Our faith needs hands and feet.

IN DEED

Let this parable have its intended result. Jesus’ message leaves no room for apathy. Become passionate about expressing compassion. Don’t just pay someone to do ministry; add to your contributions a personal touch. See Jesus in places of deep need. Love others as though you’re loving Him.

ADDITIONAL READING: Revelation 20:11-12

Every act of kindness and compassion done by any man for his fellow Christian is done by Christ working within him.

JULIAN OF NORWICH