The reason I relate…my grandpa had sheep…and goats. As a kid, I confess I pestered (Grandpa’s term) the sheep and the goats. Ken is right in his observation of sheep. Between the two, however, Jesus reminds us it is better to be a sheep. Always. Especially when He comes. Listen to His analogy in His story…and be careful who you might call “an old goat”.

Matthew 25, The Message

The Sheep and the Goats
31-33 “When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.

34-36 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’

37-40 “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’

41-43 “Then he will turn to the ‘goats,’ the ones on his left, and say, ‘Get out, worthless goats! You’re good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because—

I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited.’

44 “Then those ‘goats’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn’t help?’

45 “He will answer them, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.’

46 “Then those ‘goats’ will be herded to their eternal doom, but the ‘sheep’ to their eternal reward.”

Maybe sheep who follow their Master aren’t so dumb after all! But the key is to FOLLOW THE MASTER, believing and behaving as He has taught us and be willing to lay down our own interests, like He did, for the sake of others, so they may know the Master and follow, too. If we do this…as Ken Davis says…we become Super Sheep! Ta Da! With all the power to transform our lives coming from the Master who leads us. Don’t be an old goat!

Dear Heavenly Father, Wow! What a reminder to follow You, no matter what, for all the reasons, you taught us! I’m clinging to the thought that when I do for others, I’m see You in their eyes because I’m doing it for you through them! What a lesson! You are, indeed, the Master, the Shepherd who leads us…and then sorts us out in the end. I want to be a sheep! A Super Sheep!
In Jesus Name, Amen