The judgment lands every accountable person in one of only two possible destinies – “everlasting punishment” or “eternal life”

Many people who read this will remember Junior Samples, an American comedian best known for the fourteen years he spent as a cast member on the goofy but hilarious and highly entertaining (at least to true southerners and red-necks!) show, “Hee Haw.” Samples was famous for “country-fied” wit and wisdom, like this – “Size ain’t got nothing to do with it. If it did, a cow could outrun a rabbit.” But people are inured with a propensity to fixate on the big and bold, even when it is bad.

American actor John Malkovich noted that propensity and wrote, “People get up, they go to work, they live their lives, but you’ll never see the headlines say, ‘Six billion people got along rather well today.’ You’ll have the headline about the thirty who shot each other” (brainyquote.com). In a football game the crowd roars and thrills to the “big play” that goes eighty or ninety or even a hundred yards. But a touchdown is a touchdown even if ground out three of four yards per play. Quarterbacks and running backs and wide receivers make the athletic highlights. But their spectacular passes and catches and runs wouldn’t be possible without the faithful performance of the linemen who do the not-so-glorious and not-often noticed work of blocking.

Country-bumpkin or not, Junior Samples got it right – “Size ain’t [necessarily] got nothing to do with it.”

Helen Keller, left blind and deaf by disease while young, made this observation about little things – “I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.” That statement brings to mind a most profound and sobering scene described by Jesus in Matthew 25:31-46. In it, all nations are

gathered before the Lord    for the final judgement – no longer human beings judging Him but Jesus judging them. Like a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats, the Lord separates the masses into two groups – “sheep” on His right hand, and “goats” on the left. The “sheep” are told, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (vs 34). In fearful contrast the “goats” on the left are told, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (vs 41). Sobering, indeed. The judgment lands every accountable person in one of only two possible destinies – “everlasting punishment” or “eternal life” (vs 46).

Jesus does not give a complete picture of the judgment here. Other New Testament passages reveal other details and conditions with which we must comply and by which we can be assured we are prepared to be judged (eg., Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-4). But in Matthew 25:31-46 the difference in heaven and hell was simple – not easy – but simple. Eternity hinged on whether or not those judged gave food, drink, and clothing and showed concern to meet the basic needs of hurting people. Little things any average person can do – not big, bold service that requires great talent and resources and makes church bulletin headlines.

Not just the mighty shoves of the church’s heroes, but the aggregate of tiny pushes from faithful, serving members. If you can serve God with mighty shoves – shove on! But if not, trust that your tiny pushes, added up, please Him, too. Think about it.

--Dan Gulley