The Sheep’s Reward

Read: Matthew 25:31-46

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 25:40, NIV

IN WORD

“Whatever you did.” That presents a few challenges for our grace-by-faith theology of salvation, but we can get around it easily enough. Certainly Jesus must mean that those with genuine faith did genuine works of compassion as a result, and those who didn’t do genuine works of compassion must not have had genuine faith. That soothes our theological stress, but it leaves a gaping question: What if we aren’t doing great works of compassion?

That’s one of the big questions hanging from this parable. Another is this: Who are Jesus’ brothers and sisters? Does this refer to everyone in need? All who have been adopted into His family by faith? The Jewish people from whom He came? As many of His parables do, this one has prompted a wide range of discussion through the centuries. Some say He separates individuals based on their level of compassion for anyone in need. Others say He separates us based on our mercy not toward the suffering world at large but toward other believers in need. Some even say He separates entire nations based on their response to Israel. Regardless, there’s a great divide between those who ministered to Jesus when He—through His people, through suffering humanity, through someone—was hungry, thirsty, and captive.

IN DEED

We have a strong incentive to land on the right side of this divide. How are the sheep rewarded? They are blessed by the Father; they inherit the Kingdom prepared specifically for them since the creation of the world (Matthew 25:34). This Kingdom is the goal of history, the direction the world has been headed, the reason we were made. And it’s given not to the movers and shakers, not to the “successful,” not to the most outwardly spiritual among us. It’s given to the compassionate. That’s it—regardless of our Bible knowledge, our worship songs, or our offerings. Compassion is a true, authenticating reflection of the heart of the Father. Let it shine brightly.

ADDITIONAL READING: Hebrews 6:9-12

I would rather make mistakes in kindness and compassion than work miracles in unkindness and hardness.

MOTHER TERESA