This is an adaptation of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25) that I wrote for a friend’s primary school assembly. It’s the first of this type of writing that I’ve done. I quite like it:)

As we look around us at all of the lovely food that we have we realise that we are the lucky ones. Harvest is about celebrating the food which has been provided for us, but it is also about remembering the responsibility that we have towards others.

A story is told of a great King who ruled over a great kingdom. A kingdom so great that people came and surrounded the city walls to try and become a member of the kingdom.

The king saw this and decided that he would see how committed people were to becoming part of his kingdom. He let them stay outside of the city and would send them provisions of food and drink.

The people were very thankful for all that they got from the King, and often talked about how wonderful it would be if they could get inside the city walls.

After a number of weeks the people noticed that there were some new people who had arrived. These people were poor, hungry and had nowhere to stay. They would go around to all of the tents of people who had been there for a while and ask if they had any food and drink that they could spare.

Newcomer 1: ‘Please, I am hungry and have not eaten for days. Do you have any food to spare?’

Person 1: ‘No! I only have enough for my family. Please leave me alone.’

Newcomer 2: ‘Please, I am thirsty and my child needs a drink. Do you have a drink I could share?’

Person 2: ‘No. I’m sorry. I have juice but I don’t have any to spare.’

Newcomer 1: ‘Please, I am hungry and have not eaten for days. Do you have any food to spare?’

Person 3: ‘Of course. We don’t have much, but what we have you are welcome to share.’

Newcomer 2: ‘Please, I am thirsty and my child needs a drink. Do you have a drink I could share?’

Person 4: ‘Yes, certainly. We have some that you are welcome to.’

There was suddenly the sound of loud trumpets sounding a fanfare. The people all looked around, there on top of the city walls was the King. He loudly selected some people (including person 1 and 2) and gestured for them to move onto his left hand side.

He then selected others (including people 3 and 4) and asked them to stand to his right.

The King declared: ‘Those of you on my right you are welcomed into my Kingdom, please come in through the gates. Those of you on my left, you are not welcome. Please leave my kingdom, there will be no more provisions for you.’

Both groups were confused. They shouted, ‘Why sire? Why are some of us welcome but others not.’

Gesturing to those on the left the King said: ‘I was hungry and you did not feed me, I was thirsty and you did not give me anything to drink.’

Persons 1 and 2: ‘But we never saw you hungry or thirsty, if we had, we would have fed you.’

Pointing to the newcomers the King said: ‘Inasmuch as you did not it to one of these, my people, you didn’t done it to me.’ Looking now at those on his right the King said, ‘But you, just as you did it to one of these, you did it to me. Thank you and come into my kingdom.’

This is the message of the harvest for Christians. They are provided with food, drink and everything they need by God. If they do not help other people it is like they are ignoring God.

The story of the King shows to all of us that we have a responsibility to share, and if we do we will be happier.