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The Dogs and the Cats is based on Matthew 25: 31-46.
When the Son of Man comes in glory, angels will be with him. He’ll sit on his Judges’ Bench and he’ll separate people one from another, like an animal shelter would separate the dogs and the cats. Dogs on the right, cats on the left.
Then the Judge will say to those on his right, “You’re blessed by my Father! You’re now a citizen of a nation that’s been waiting for you since the beginning of the universe! You know why? Because I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty – you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger; you took me in, gave me somewhere to stay. I had no clothes, you gave me clothes. I fell sick; you cared for me. I was thrown into prison and you visited me.”
Then the people who did the right things will look at the Judge and say, “Errr… great! But, Judge, we don’t remember seeing you hungry and giving you food. Or thirsty and giving you a drink, or finding you a place to stay, or giving you clothes or caring for you when you were sick. And we’re sure we’d remember visiting you in prison.”
And the Judge will answer them, “Truth is, whenever you helped a brother or sister who couldn’t repay you, you helped me.”
Then he’ll turn to those on his left and tell them, “You’re cursed! I sentence you to be thrown into the fires prepared for the devil and his rebellious angels, the fire that is always burning. For I was hungry – and you gave me no food, thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger; you left me on the street. I had no clothes; you left me naked. I fell sick in prison and you left me to die in my cell.”
Then those sentenced will say, “Judge, that’s not fair! Have we ever seen you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison? If we’d seen you, we’d have helped you!”
The Judge will answer, “The truth is, you didn’t help anyone who couldn’t repay you. So whenever you didn’t help them, you didn’t help me.”
Then those sentenced will go to a punishment that has eternal consequences – but those who did the right things will go to a life that lasts eternally.
Commentary on The Dogs and the Cats
Previous parable: The Two Debtors (Luke 7:41-43)
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