Sheep and Goats – Here and There – Devotional for Monday, August 29, 2011

Last week we consider the “parable” of the Sheep and the Goats. Today, some more thoughts. 

First, it isn’t really a parable. A parable is normally a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels. This discourse is more an explanation of the Judgment of the Nations. Jesus only mentions sheep and goats as he points out that the people will be separated like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 

When we think of sheep and goats we think of two very different creatures. But in much of the world certain species of these animals really look pretty much alike. It might well take a shepherd to separate them. It is often pointed out that the sheep are rewarded because they treated the least like Jesus, feeding them, visiting them, and so on. But consider, the animals are separated not because of what they do, but because of who they are. Jesus calls the ones standing on the right, “blessed.” They are blessed because they are born again children of God. Yes, they cared for the least; but they aren’t blessed because they cared. They cared because they are blessed. 

Consider that Jesus once said, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35. When we become His, the indwelling Spirit makes us lovers, Lovers of a greater magnitude capable of agape love. That’s the kind of love that loves unselfishly, like Jesus loved. It’s the kind of love that compels us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, visit those in prison. The ones who are helped are incapable of returning the favor. We have nothing to gain by our acts, at least not in this world.