Jesus said to his disciples:

47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet, that was cast into the sea, and gathered some fish of every kind, 48 which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach. They sat down, and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away. 49 So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked from among the righteous, 50 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.” 51 Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?”

They answered him, “Yes, Lord.”

52 He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things.”

53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there.

Matthew 13:47-53 - World English Bible

In this final parable found in Matthew 13, Jesus returned to the theme of the end times. Like the harvest story in 13:24-29, this narrative focused upon separating the good from the bad. Notice, however, before the act of dividing, the fisher-missionaries had to discern the saved from the damned. Prospective converts would make that decision for themselves through their actions, but the leaders faced that problem in the admission of neophytes into the community of the Kingdom. What's the old saying, “a bad apple can spoil the whole barrel”? So, Jesus implied the decision who (and who not) to baptize played a part in the end time scenario.

Jesus finished with a brief simile about a patriarch who displayed his treasure to impress his visitors. Yes, he bragged, but what to show and when to show it took thought. For the missionary, the question of reference and timing took wisdom. When did he use a reference from the Hebrew Scriptures to bolster his argument? When did he proclaim the Good News? These questions required prudence and intelligence, for both were critical in the efforts of evangelization.

How have you been faithful to your baptismal vows? How are you ready for the Kingdom? Have you prayed for wisdom before you speak to friends about Christ?