Graze: Finding Satisfaction in the ShepherdSample

If you care at all about eternity and where you will spend it, today’s passage will cause you to sit up and pay close attention. Here, Jesus uses the sheep and goats metaphor to illustrate the difference between those who actually know Him and those who only pretend to know Him. 

Sheep and goats are similar at first glance. They are about the same size, make the same kind of noise, graze in the field with each other, etc., but they are fundamentally different. They are not made up of the same stuff, scientifically speaking, and so are two very different animals with different ways of doing things. Once you know what to look for, it’s easy to spot the differences between the two. 

Likewise, those who actually know Jesus and those who pretend to know Jesus seem similar at first glance. Someone not looking very closely could be fooled. In fact, some people are so good at pretending to know Jesus they even fool themselves. However, those who actually know Jesus have been changed from the inside out by the blood of Jesus. They are made of different stuff, spiritually speaking, than those who still don’t know Him and are fundamentally different from what they once were. The proof of their identity in Jesus Christ is in the way they think and act in accordance with God’s will and purposes, not seeking selfish gain, but God’s glory, even when it costs them. 

Thank God for making it possible for you to know where you stand with Him.