Matthew 25:31-34 (TLB) “But when I, the Messiah, shall come in my glory, and all the angels with me, then I shall sit upon my throne of glory. And all the nations shall be gathered before me. And I will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and place the sheep at my right hand, and the goats at my left. Then I, the King, shall say to those at my right, “Come, blessed of my Father, into the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world.”

The above passage of scripture gives insight into that great day when every living creature will stand before the Lord to be judged. This judgement is very important because depending on how you are judged you will either be placed as sheep to His right, or you will be placed as goats to His left. Since your eternal destination is at stake, it is imperative that you understand by what criteria the Lord will be using to determine which person would go to His right and which should go to His left. Will the Lord be making this determination based on how many church services you attended? Is it based on singing the right hymns or knowing the right theology? Is it based on how much money you gave or how well you lived the separated life? To ensure your eternal destination is where you want to go, then you need to accurately understand the standard by which this judgement is going to be made.

Verses 35-40 tell you what the Lord is using to make His determination. Notice the Lord wasn’t seeking to hear something, but to see something. He’s not seeking to hear the right confession, but to see the right demonstration. “‘For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me water; I was a stranger and you invited me into your homes; naked and you clothed me; sick and in prison, and you visited me.’ Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Sir, when did we ever see you hungry and fed you? Or thirsty and give you anything to drink? Or a stranger, and help you? Or naked, and clothe you? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ And I, the King, will tell them, ‘When you did it to the least of these my brothers you were doing it to me.’” The true nature of a Christian’s heart is in its response to the unattractive and the needy. Jesus says our love for Him can be measured by how much we love the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and the prisoner. In this context, it is seen in their love for the least, the last, and the lost.

Proverbs 24:11-12 (NASB) “Deliver those who are being taken away to death. And those who are staggering to slaughter, O hold [them] back. If you say, ‘See, we did not know this,’ Does He not consider [it] who weighs the hearts? And does He not know [it] who keeps your soul? And will He not render to man according to his works.”

The above passage condemns as criminal the non-interposition of the strong on behalf of the weak and distressed. This crime is committed for various reasons. For some it is purely indifference. There are many in the church who are at ease and never concern themselves about the sufferings of others. They are well fed and it matters not to them that others go hungry. While their needs are being supplied it matters not to them that others are in need. For others it is cowardice and unwillingness to practice self-denial. This person may pity the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, and all those in need. He may even feel sad when he thinks of their sorrows and sins, and yet be unwilling to sacrifice his time, leisure, and reputation in endeavors to save them. But this Proverb seems to deal especially with the ignorant, those who have never considered the claims which others have upon them. They are ignorant of how many hearts are breaking around them and how many are perishing for the want of a helping hand. But this ignorance here is regarded as criminal. Someone once said that “evil is wrought for want of thought, as well as of want of heart.” God will not accept the plea “I knew it not,” but holds him who utters it guilty for his ignorance as well as his neglect.

All of us must consider how much actual wrongdoing on the part of some is chargeable to the not-doing of others. How much sin might be prevented if we who have it in our power would seek to deliver others from bodily, social, or moral death. This is not only important for their sake, but for ours as well, because by helping them we help ourselves. For, as I stated earlier, what determines whether we are a sheep or goat is how we respond to the least, the last, and the lost.