As a kid I used to always hear, “You are what you eat”. The thought behind this was that whatever you ingest will exit your body. Though this phrase was some kind of campaign for healthier eating choices many people saw its usefulness in applying to the spiritual dynamics of life. Whatever you feed yourself is what you live out. If you feast on shadiness and hypocrisy than you will vomit those things out in the lives of people you interact with. If you continue to feast on yourself (being all about your desires and wants only), to the exclusion of others, then selfishness and self-centeredness will come out as your rulers. If you let envy and jealousy be your fuel and motivation for moving ahead then you will continue to be a jealous-hearted hater all your life. What goes in comes out—whether you like it or not.
I think this was the issue with the “Sheeps and the Goats” Jesus had. Matthew 25 records Jesus as saying that Father would welcomingly embrace the sheep who had the right things within so that the right things came out. Their behavior demonstrated caring interior of their lives and hearts and as a result the sheep fed those who were hungry, clothed the naked, gave drink to the thirsty, looked after the stranger as if they were family, and visited the prisoners, etc. They reflected their Father because His Spirit dwelled within them. The goats, albeit having the language of righteousness, just could not do the dang on thang. They did not feed the hungry, clothe the naked, or give drinks to those who were parched, look after the stranger or anything. It was not in them to do. The goats had been ingesting the wrong things and so the right things could not come out of them. What’s in you comes out, right? The sheep had the right things within based on true relationship with the Father…the goats…not so much.
What’s curious about this is the fact that sheep and goat look so much a like it is difficult to distinguish them from each other sometimes. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, discerns the heart, the intents of the heart, as well as actions. This is precisely why he said it was a wrap for the goats. The more I think about this I realize there are a lot of “goat-type” believers out here today. They look like sheep because they do some of the same things as the sheep. They serve in soup kitchens, clean neighborhoods, and tutor kids—they are great humanitarians. Perhaps they even look after their families and people close to them—within reason. But does that mean they care for the least of these. Maybe “least of these” can be defined differently for the modern day church attending goat.
Nowadays we believers think we are better than the early believers because we have programs that help people. We do “justice” work as well as indirect services. We join movements and we pass out sandwiches. We are killing the game! Yes sir! However…I still think we are missing something important. While we are helping those “over there” we are missing the fact that some of us are in the same category as those “over there” who need help. A lot of believers are struggling with financial devastation, homelessness, despondency, depression, imprisonment, thirst and hunger. All believers need a word of encouragement, friendship, and compassion. We are the “least of these”. Christianity does not prevent suffering—especially if you are doing it right. While the goats are busy doing “justice” work and direct services, so they can rack up kudos with God, they are failing to understand that a lack of compassion, using someone, selfishness and self-centeredness, envy and hatred towards their brothers and sisters (as well as others) kind of makes all their good “work” null and void. These things enable a goat-type believer to disregard what’s going on with the people around them—even those they call friends.
If I, Erie Catiz a.k.a Queen.ee (lol), have the capacity to tell someone about a job lead but instead I pray that God directs them—then I am bogus. If I can give a friend a ride, gas money, food, a couch to sleep on so she is not on the street and I don’t—then I am trifling and was never a friend. If I can give another believer encouragement, a prophetic word from the Lord, or meet a tangible need and I walk away or mock their despair—then I fail to live out Scripture. If I know someone is going through hell but I can’t go by or call--and instead I text—then I deserve to be cut off because I am a goat-type of church attending believer. Everybody has hard times and everyone has a life, but we do not exist in the world for ourselves and by ourselves. To be sure, believers are to be present for people in general, but we are explicitly told to do good to those in the Household of Faith.
Personally, I disengage from shady people a.s.a.p., and I don’t care if they are Christians or not. If you are not “living what you are kicking…then you are worthless”. I don’t mind upsetting people, but I do mind upsetting God (which I am good at unfortunately)…and I, even in the midst of my own difficulty, find myself still caring for and trying to be there for others. However, there are days when I can be goat-like and then I get a check in my heart that says I’m foul. The Spirit’s convicting me helps me to be focused on who I am and how I to be as a sheep. I want to do good to my brothers and sisters because we are one Body and I want that goodness to spill over to all God brings into my life. Honestly.
Even though I lack faith this has spoken to me. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome. You say you lack faith but there is something there for this to speak to you. For that I am grateful... Peace, peace.
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