At the end of my life, I do not expect God to greet me with, 'Welcome good and faithful servant.'
I'm rather expecting I will be asked to account for my wrong doings.
Did you make the planet a better place to live?
Did you help your fellow man to overcome their pain?
Did you save the life of another?
Did you fill the belly of a hungry child?
Did you look after the earth's precious resources?
Did you hurt others?
Did you treat animals with gentleness?
Did you judge others?
Did you speak harshly of others?
Did you take anything that was not yours to take?
Did you act with compassion and love, even when you didn't feel like it?
Did you swindle the government?
Did you pay back your debts?
Did you return what you stole?
Did you lie?
Did you make amends for the hurts you did to others?
Did you tell the truth, even when you didn't want to?
Did you raise your hand in anger?
Did you judge others?
Is the world a better place because you have lived?
I believe I will be judged by my deeds not by how much I prayed. I think some of my answers may not be too pleasing.
But if I've left this world with children who can answer those questions with better answers than me, I'll be a proud woman. (we won't talk about the sin of pride!)
4 comments:
Totally agree with you Tracy. I tell my children all the time, actions speak louder than words.
There is also that saying. Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary, use words.
Wow - those are some pretty tough questions.
And I think the fact that you know that your answers to the questions might be "unpleasing" means that you will please. If that makes any sense?
I agree with the questions but I also believe that if Jesus is our Lord and Saviour we are covered by His righteousness. So that when the Father looks on us, He sees us as covered by the precious blood of Jesus, by the robe of righteousness He purchased for us on the cross.
Out of that security we can believe that God will say, well done, and out of that place we are able to seek to fulfill the answers to your list of questions.
No matter how good my works...I will always need the covering of the robe of righteousness that Jesus died and rose to give me.
In looking at the story of the sheep and goats we see that God does indeed judge us by our actions and what we do. There is no judgment portrayed in the bible that is based on faith alone.
If Jesus was to cover us with the robe of righteousness, he would be calling something evil good. That is very contrary to Christian beliefs. The bible tells us that nothing evil can be called good and nothing good can be called evil.
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