Matthew 25:33-46 says,
Blessed are you of My Father, FOR:
1. IF I was a member of your church
2. IF I was singing in your choir while committing adultery with your married pastor
3. IF I was to keep quiet about incest (my issue of blood); speaking only the pretty words that you wanted to hear
4. IF I was sheltered but someone orchestrated a plan to have me kicked out, calling it tough love
5. IF I was jailed and someone set his colleagues against me, calling it tough love
6. IF I was a believer of God's Word but someone manipulated it to try and make me look foolish, calling it tough love
7. IF I was of the right attitude according to your definition
8. IF I was perfect in your eyes
9. IF I was to beg
10. IF I was disobedient to God's command
. . . Then should you feed, clothe, shelter, give me drink, care for me in sickness and visit me in jail . . .
No wait! My bad. Matthew 25:33-46 doesn't mention any of those (stubborn as a goat) criteria.
Matthew 25:33-46
33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Here's the thing about manipulation: you may be able to manipulate me all day. But, God, being omniscient, will not be tricked or mocked nor His Word manipulated. To attempt such is blasphemy against God Himself. For The Word not only represents God; The Word IS God.
John 1:1 In the beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God, and The Word was GOD. Amen
Yet, I pray even for my enemies as well as those who spitefully seek to manipulate me. But, I too will not be manipulated, here's why. I silently end every prayer the way Jesus taught us to pray: "Nevertheless, not my will, but 'Thy will be done'."
"Learn to appreciate what people do for you" was part of a sermon I recently heard. I wondered how appreciative that preacher would have been, if someone were sneaking around behind his back, manipulating his situation or trying to replace him in the pulpit in the name of tough love. Would he truly wait on the Lord or would he take counsel from that person(s), transgressing in evil. It's sometimes good to know the details.
Just as we are not to block or withhold blessings from others, we are likewise not to "give" in arrogance, jealousy, envy or strife, labeling it "tough love." To do so, is akin to giving a serpent to the one in need of a blessing (it's evil and therefore sinful)
(Genesis 34:7) The question begs: What kind of brother would come against his sister, whom he knew had been violated, seeking only to add to her torment through manipulation, all the while calling it "tough love"? But (Proverbs 18:24) And what kind of people would go along with such evil foolishness?
Still, I wouldn't take nothing for my journey now. I will continue to write according to God's instruction. For if I help but one person along this way, my labor will not have been in vain. Certainly I had no say in the matter of whom God chose to harden along my life's journey in order to fulfill His Word. But I do know this, I'm covered in that which I was commanded to do: (Deuteronomy 27:22); (Habakkuk 2:2); (Hosea 2:2); (Isaiah 58:1). Yet, chastened for my sin, as well as the sin of my father (Exodus 34:7). I spoke profanely against my father whom I never knew, based on misinformation I received. This man, was not only my father, but was God's elect, a pastor, a shepherd. I leaned to my own understanding because I didn't feel that my mother should have to bear the weight alone for what my human rationale told me, "it took two to create."
But, God had not commanded me to make that judgement. He only commanded me to rebuke my mother, which after doing, He confirmed. I accept my punishment as well as the punishment for my father's sin. For simply to learn the truth about my father, would I lovingly do it again. He was a good man.
It has not been easy. Yet, in all things I give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning me.
I love You LORD.
I use a lot of scripture in my writings. Not to prove my knowledge (for I know nothing, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified). But that you might verify my words, thereby, coming to know Jesus better. I can't get enough of Him. There's nothing better than knowing Jesus.
