Mismatched

My youngest daughter came home for the weekend to celebrate her birthday.
She was excited to see friends on her birthday and then celebrate with family the next day.
Since her actual birthday was quite busy, her presents remained unopened until the next day.
I remember the years when opening presents was the first thing my children wanted to do.

Often, when they were younger they would still have to wait, which was always difficult.
When they got older, they had more self-control.
However, birthdays are a big deal in our house.
It is a real celebration of life.

First there is the birthday flag that gets hung outside.
Then there is the birthday banner that is hung on the wrought iron fireplace hooks.
Birthday signs are hung on the door that leads into the house and on their bedroom door.
It was always that way when they all lived at home.

When my youngest daughter came home for her birthday, her presents were wrapped.
They were waiting in the spot in the family room where the presents usually go.
A balloon was attached to a gift bag.
Her birthday cake was made and cooling in the kitchen.

It smells so good in here, Mom, she said as soon as she walked in the door.
She looked at the counter and saw her birthday cake.
Even her cake would wait until we were all together.
I love the wrapping paper, she said as I knew she would since it looked like her style.

Her actual birthday was wonderful.
When she woke up the next day, she had breakfast.
Do you think I could open my presents? She asked just like she did when she was little.
Of course! I answered, though it was just the two of us in the house at the time.

She does not like a big fuss.
I think opening her presents just the two of us was more desirable this year.
There would be family time when her sisters came for dinner.
This time was ours.

She opened the four boxes that were waiting for her.
New clothes greeted her when she opened the boxes.
I happened to put a dress and a new flannel shirt in the same box.
She loved the combination and thought they would look great together.

I love this, thanks, Mom, she said excitedly.
You’re welcome, I said, I had to put those two things in the same box.
I love it; they go together! She exclaimed.
When I looked, the colors matched perfectly, but a flannel shirt over a dress?

Don’t they look good? She asked as she held them up together.
On YOU! I answered and I meant it.
I would never have thought about putting those two things together, I confessed.
However, my daughter was right; it worked and it looked adorable.

She actually put both pieces on as she tried things on for her sisters.
They agreed that the flannel shirt over the dress looked so cute.
All I could take credit for was simply putting the two things in the same box.
It was my daughter who knew how to mix and match and put two random pieces together.

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 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. “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.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘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, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘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, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46)

A shepherd separates the sheep and the goats.
When Jesus comes back and judges the nations, He will separate the people.
The sheep will be on His right.
The goats will be on His left.

The sheep took care of others; they fed them, gave them a drink, clothed them, and visited them.
Jesus said that what they did for others, they did for Him.
The goats did not take care of others; they did not feed them, clothe them, or visit them.
Jesus said that what they did not do for others, they did not do for Him.

The sheep and the goats live together here on earth.
Yet they are an unlikely pair.
Unlike my daughter’s flannel shirt and dress, the sheep and goats do not go well together.
One day, they will be separated by Jesus when He comes in glory.

Until then, the sheep and the goats are side by side.
They are mismatched but together for a time.
One day, they will be separated by Jesus; the sheep to His right and the goats to His left.
What went together in this world will not go together in the next.

We want to be a sheep following our Shepherd.
We want to be on Jesus’ right side when He comes in glory.
When did we do this, Lord?
Whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me.