Jesus is back. The angels surround Him with striking radiance. The King’s entrance is grand this time, so unlike the first. His robes of scarlet and purple trimmed with gold eclipse the swaddling clothes from long ago. He ascends the throne, where hints of gold peek around the edges of hefty gems. Every nation is present. Each one humbled; with faces down, they worship. A hushed silence falls over this holy place as Jesus readies to speak. Those in the back strain to hear His words. What will He say? Is there a battle coming? Does He know my name? He raises His right arm, and His rich baritone voice fills the air. “Sheep to the right, goats to the left.”
Matthew 25 says the sheep will inherit the kingdom of heaven and the goats eternal punishment. Of course, we all want to be sheep, but which flock are we following? We are creatures of habit. We drive the same way to work, stop at the same gas station, speak to the same people, shop at the same stores, etc. Most of us do this on autopilot, oblivious to what goes on around us, oblivious to the hurting hearts mere inches away. Have you ever been shocked when someone shared a difficulty they experienced and thought, “I never would have guessed that about them”? People with needs are right in front of us. We only need to open our eyes to see them, and open our ears to hear Him.
Do you long to be used by Christ? God’s only requirement is a willing heart. In Matthew 25:40, Jesus says in helping others we help Him. In Matthew 22:39, He says to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” How can we become more conscience and responsive to those who need the loving touch of Jesus? We are Christ’s hands and feet on the earth. “…so in Christ we who are many form one body” (Romans 12:5 NIV). Sheep to the right illuminates our reasons for wanting to join the flock on the right and teaches how to reach out to those around us. Through Bible study and practical stories, it will guide us to an awareness of the needs of others and challenge us to step up to meet them. On any given day, in any given city, at any given time, people are in need. Don’t you want to be the one to help? Sheep to the right will leave you saying, “I wanna be a sheep!”
Most of you know I’ve been working on a book called sheep to the right. What you’ve just read is a description of the book. I’m still plugging away on the proposal. (I was done and then decided to change things around.) Here is how you can help. I want to know what you do to reach out to the people around you. Maybe you volunteer at a soup kitchen, or perhaps you give your time at a clothes closet passing out clothes to the needy. If you have any stories you’d be willing to share about your experiences, I’d love those, too. Leave me a comment or send me an email letting me know what you do to love others like Jesus.
Thanks for your help!
***P.S. Let me know if you are interested in purchasing one of the sheep to the right pins pictured above. It comes with the commitment card. I’m running a spring sale. You can get one for $3 or 5 for $10. (ships for FREE!)
Carol
