Mat 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily, I say unto you, Inasmuch as you did [it] not to one of the least of these, you did [it] not to me.
Alternative: Then he shall respond to them saying: I tell you honestly that because you produced nothing for the least of these, you produced nothing for me.

In the previous verse, the six tasks are reduced to a single idea: providing service. Here, Christ futher reduces this idea further to being productive with our lives. Our need to be productive has been, until this verse, just inferred. In writing about productivity in analyzing the previous verses in this story, I did not know that Christ was going to end up using the actual word, but here he does, removing all doubt about what we can do right and wrong in our lives.

Again, the English translation disguises much of the meaning. The word translated as "did" here hide a lot throughout the Gospel. It is also often translated as "make." Its more complete meaning is "to produce" (see bottom) with a very strong economic sense of doing work to get something accomplished. It is one of the most common words used by Christ in his stories, but its hidden by the much blander and less specific verbs, "to do" and "to make." We can do a lot of things that aren't productive. In English, we can even make mistakes. This translation drains out a lot of the meaning from the Greek word.

As we approach the end of this chapter, the use of this word specifically bring its three stories together.

Which of the wise and foolish version were productive in their mission? Though the foolish virgins started well, the were not prepared to go the whole distance. 90% of a bridge takes you nowhere.

Which of the servants were productive in their mission? Those that realized that money was stored value that need to be made productive and that there is nothing "cruel" about putting money to work and making it grow. Nor is their anything cruel in realizing that some are more talented than others and rewarding them more for their ability to produce more. Everyone is rewarded when we do that. We cannot let our fear of loss of money get in the way of our job of putting it to work and making the world (and ourselves) wealthier. It is the attachment to money, trying to protect it rather than using it productively, that is wrong.

Finally, we have the sheep and the goats: those who care about others and those who do not care. Our productivity is measured by how well it serves everyone in our lives, not just the great. While many of these services can be economic, serving ourselves as well as others, many of these services come purely from the heart. What makes them meaningful is the happiness that they produce, the "meat" not just the bread. These are not faceless deeds. If a sick person or prisoner is visited by some stranger, it doesn't make them as happy as it does to be visited by someone the know. We all want to know that we are loved and missed and cared about as individuals.

To be of service and to be productive is Christ's purpose on earth, his end, and our purpose on earth, our end. As we approach the end of this sermon, this single word, brings it all together.

"Did" is from poieô (poieo), which means "to make," "to produce," "to create," "to bring into existence," "to bring about," "to cause," "to render," "to consider," "to prepare," "to make ready," and "to do."