Transparency and accountability are the new buzz words for the 21st century.  No doubt all honorable people welcome every genuine effort to stop corruption and dishonesty in whatever sphere of society—– corporate, governmental, or personal.  But is this really a new phenomenon?  Is ours, in fact, the first generation in history concerned about such issues?

In Exodus 38-40 we learn that even Moses needed a transparent accounting of the donations received towards the building of the tabernacle and the fittings and sacred vessels.  Every person became accountable for their donations plus their actions.  It was to be with a willing heart to provide funds for this tent in which God himself would be worshipped. 

Is God holding us accountable today?  Is He regarding us and our actions and what we are doing with our lives?  Do our possessions take preference over our relationship with others?

None of us can imagine God in Heaven with a big scoreboard.   Is He putting check marks for our behavior?   After all we are mere humans doing human things in this crazy world.   We give, we worship, we live under God’s grace, and we depend on our Messiah to take away our sins. 

                                    But wait………..there is more to come!
One day we all will face the ultimate accountability of our actions.  Each of us must give a full justification and accounting for the way we have lived our lives. 

                    Yes, there is a final exam.  How do we know this?

Matthew 25; Jeshua tells us that ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² 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. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.”

When He tells us that all nations will be judged, it isn’t just the Jews to whom He is speaking?.  It’s you and me.  He isn’t asking if you have been baptized; how many times you attend services; how much money is in your checking account.

‘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. ³⁵ 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, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was ill and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”³⁷ ‘Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you ill or in prison and go to visit you?”⁴⁰ ‘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.”

⁴¹ ‘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. ⁴² For I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was ill and in prison and you did not look after me.”⁴⁴ ‘They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or ill or in prison, and did not help you?”⁴⁵ ‘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.⁴⁶ ‘Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

I do believe that many of you reading this blog will dismiss these words.  Why?  How could a loving God do this?  After all, we have lived well; we haven’t committed a really dreadful sin; we have kept part of the Torah teachings (at least most of the Ten Commandments). Or how many times we have read though the Bible. We have never been unfaithful to our spouses.

  I’m not suggesting that we all will visit the sick or make trips to the county jail.  It’s the every day happenings and how  we make other’s lives  a little better. Should we fear a Judgement?

We will all die and make an accounting for our treatment of others; sorrows for doing things our way; repentance with a commitment to do good unto others as we would have them do to us!  The words of our Master should fill us with both joy and fear! 

            It’s time to examine our lives. . 

                                  “Doing good unto the least of these!”