I went to the airport to pick up a friend this week. There always seems to be a microcosm of the world in this part of Atlanta as friends, loved ones, and business associates anticipate the arrival of a traveler. All ages, colors, and nationalities travel up the long escalator to the main part of the airport. I think the lady to my right was from Russia. Next to her, a little girl talked excitedly to her father. I’m pretty sure they spoke French. The people to my left spoke Spanish. A young man who works at a sandwich shop near our school was there to pick up someone. We recognized each other and shook hands. I believe he is from India. Two little Korean girls squealed with glee as they saw their father appear at the top of the escalator. The man stooped down and hugged his daughters, then hugged his wife. Sweethearts ran to meet one another, friends embraced, and business men and women received instructions. I even saw ex-Chicago Bull Scotty Pippen emerge from the crowd.
I sometimes think about the judgment when I’m standing in that place. I’m sure God will have a better system than an escalator to bring each person before Him, but there will be quite a picture of diversity. He’ll judge every one of the billions of people that have ever lived with a perfect judgment. Those of us who had moms who could look right through us and almost know exactly what we were thinking have a tiny understanding of what each of us will experience. God will look us in the eye and we will know in an instant that He knows every single thing about us. We will also know, regardless of what we believed while we walked the earth, that there is an all-powerful Creator who is the definition of love. No human argument of evolution will be made on judgment day, and every knee will bow to the King of Kings.
Paul writes that the only way we can be prepared for this day is to be clothed in Christ. By faith we receive this gift of righteousness; by grace we are saved. The parables of Jesus reveal that what we do on this earth is going to be carefully examined. Many will not be able to enter the Kingdom because they rejected the Son. “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.” These will argue with the King, “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?” Then Jesus will give a disturbing answer, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for the least of these, you did not do for me.”
Those who are welcomed into the Kingdom prepared “since the creation of the world” will also be surprised by the words of Jesus. When commended by the King, the righteous will answer, “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 need clothing and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?” And Jesus will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
The friend I picked up at the airport lives in Africa. He and his wife are running a school for children who have been deeply impacted by the AIDS crisis on that continent. I’ve seen the missionaries bathe these little kids and give them food and medicine. I’ve seen the smiles of these children after receiving wonderful love from the family of God. Jesus says that when these little ones are served, He is being served. I think He is all around us.
“We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” II Corinthians 5:7-10