Are you a Sheep or a Goat?

Sheep and goats, being separated out – this is how Matthew 25 ends up. What is the deal with that? I had to do a little digging myself to understand more of why the goats were being separated out.

Sheep per the keyword search in Bible Gateway, as “frequently mentioned in Scripture. The care of a shepherd over his flock illustrates God’s care over his people.” Goats are referred to as “oppressors and wicked men.”

Okay, with that known – let’s shift back to Matthew. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left,” (Matthew 25: 31-33). I’m not terribly livestock knowledgeable. I get dogs, how to speak their language so to speak, and a few other small fuzzy animals – but livestock? Not really. So, in my head, I imagine the goats being herded this way and the sheep that. There is baaing and bleeting and shepherds trying to avoid having their toes stepped on.


This takes me back to the why question however, why separate them?


“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me,” (Matthew 25:34-36).

That is quite a list and my first reaction is when did I do that? I can see the eat and drink thing because I have lived in the south and have been part of the southern hospitality thing. It’s not a myth, it really exists – and it’s rather lovely. When did I clothe you? When did I visit you in prison? The prison one I have wondered if that also applies to those who are not just in literal prisons, but trapped in situations.


I love that Jesus hung out with real people, and that he allowed them to ask real questions, because their reactions so often are something I can understand. Why? Because they asked the same question. “‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you. The King will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me,’” (Matthew 15:37-40).

Then there are those goats. The goats, also get a few sentences, “‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me. They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you? He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you will do not do for me.’” (Matthew 25:41-45).


So it’s better to be a sheep, because the sheep get “eternal life,” while the goats are sent to “eternal punishment.” Seems kind of like a no-brainer decision, but yet so many times we hold back and act more like a goat than a sheep. Come on fellow baaa’s let’s join the sheep!