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Sheep and Goats. Do you know the Difference?
What is my point? Sheep and goats are similar but different species. We can tell them apart! So when we visualize this parable in our minds, sheep go on the right, goats go on the left. Easy to separate. One group has helped “the least of these.” One group hasn’t. One enters the kingdom of heaven. The other doesn’t.
But do you notice the similarity? They are both taken aback by the judgment—they are all surprised that Jesus has anything to do with the others who have surrounded them!
In looking at commentary and comments on the internet I found an interesting post from someone who has more experience with sheep and goats than I do! Bonnie Hollinger says she grew up on a farm, and they always herded the sheep and goats together. In the fields they were one. They rarely divided them until it was time to feed in the barn. She suggests: Perhaps, on the surface, those who do good deeds, and those who think they are following God’s laws (yet forget the poor), all look alike. We are all mixed up together.
And that got me to thinking—did the sheep and the goats know they were sheep and goats before Jesus separated them into right and left? In other words, did they all start out geeps (sheep/goats!) and only at judgment did it they realize who they were? And if that is the case—are we sheep?
In the parables found in Chapter 25 Matthew focuses on the idea of making us aware of God’s coming reality—what has often been called “eschatology” (the end times).
The message of the parable of the bridesmaids was to be prepared, for we don’t know when the bridegroom will appear.
The message of the parable of the talents was to make the most of what you have, and multiply it!, for the Master is coming back.
Maybe the message of the parable of the sheep and the goats is that we don’t know who we are, we don’t know when we might be face to face with God in the guise of a neighbor, a friend, a stranger. So, not only do we have to be personally prepared for God’s Advent; not only do we have the responsibility of managing the gifts and talents God has given us; we cannot live our lives in a vacuum. How we treat others is important. How we see others is important. It was the deciding factor in this parable. And it will be the deciding factor for us, in God’s eyes. Yikes!
We live in a world where fool ourselves into thinking it is easy to define who are sheep and who are goats. Who is in the right and who is in the wrong. Who’s doing good and who’s out in left field. Think of Washington: Democrats and Republicans seem to think the other is the GOAT. Think of Ferguson, MO: the police and the African-American community think the other is the GOAT. Think of the Middle East—Palestinian/Israeli; Sunni/Shiite; Christian/Muslim. The list goes on and on. And often we are so sure we know who is who.
A pastor friend of mine has been using the “Peace” refrain that we sang this morning, sung in Arabic, in their service. And has gotten some flack for it. One parishioner even questioned him, “With Muslims beheading Americans on TV how could we possibly sing this Arabic song?” I want to share his answer with you.
This is a true story from the front lines as heard by people in Presbyterian Mission. There once was a town where Muslims and Christians lived side by side. They ate in each other’s houses. Their children played together. They were neighbors, friends. Recently ISIS took over the town.
The Christians were rounded up and told, “You have three choices. 1) You can leave right now, with the clothes on your back and walk to the nearest refugee camp (miles and miles away). 2) You can convert and become Muslim. 3) If you stay and don’t convert, we will line you up and you will be shot.”
The family that we are following, stunned by this turn of events, gathers their children, and begins to walk out of town while their Muslim neighbors look on in disbelief. One Muslim man runs to embrace his Christian neighbor and friend, and whispers “We’ll gather your things and see you soon.”
Our family makes it to the refugee camp, after a harrowing journey. And much to their delight, their friends arrive shortly afterwards, with clothes, and precious things from their home, and their CAR! The two families share a meal, and much sadness at the turn of events. They hug fiercely, and each go their separate ways.
The Christian family is relocated far from their home. The Muslim family returns, but one of their other neighbors has seen what they did and reported it to the authorities. In a brutal act, the family is killed for their kindness.
And that, my pastor friend said, is why we sing Assalaamu lacum, Peace be with you in Arabic. Because we all want Peace.
At least all the sheep want peace. And as this horrible story shows us, it is so hard to know who are goats and who are sheep in this world! But as the parable reminds us, God knows. God sees into our hearts. And eventually, just like the two parables before it, eventually, the Master comes home, eventually the bridegroom comes, eventually there is an accounting of who we have been, and what we have done with what we have, and how we have treated others.
I was very taken with a paragraph from the Study Catechism of the PC(USA) that we talked about in our Bible Study on Wednesday night. It says:
The limits to salvation, whatever they may be, are known only to God. Three truths above all are certain.
God is a holy God who is not to be trifled with.
No one will be saved except by grace alone.
And no judge could possibly be more gracious
than our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
So, what do we do? How can we be prepared? What should we be doing? Who should we see as Christ among us? It seems rather daunting. Yet, all we can do is try to be faithful. House the homeless. Feed the hungry. Visit the sick. Be advocates for the poor. Give up being so sure we know who is who.
We will probably not be asked to give up our lives in our faithfulness. But maybe today we can rededicate ourselves to look at others, look at our world with God’s eyes. For we never know who is a sheep and who is a goat. We all look alike.
May God give us the strength to do our part.
May God open our eyes to see Christ
in each person we meet.
May God grant us grace, so we too might be sheep
In God’s eyes.
May it be so, Alleluia, Amen.
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