In Matthew 25:31–46, Jesus describes the final judgment as a moment of stunning accountability, surprise, and separation. When the Son of Man returns in glory, he will divide humanity as a shepherd separates sheep from goats—not by fame, success, or religious performance, but by hidden acts of mercy done to “the least of these.” The King reveals that every quiet kindness—feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, caring for the sick—is service to him, and every neglect is a rejection of him. This parable exposes the heart of true faith: a living relationship with Jesus that naturally overflows in compassion for others. The Judge of all the earth is also the Lamb who bore our judgment, the Shepherd-King who laid down his life for his sheep. Those who know his mercy become merciful, and on that final day, they will discover that their ordinary moments of love were all remembered by him.