judging your work

We all gripe and grouse about work. But we do it. Work in many ways dictates how we live our lives- how we spend our money, how we spend our time, where we live, how we live, and so on. I think we would all like to think that our work somehow contributes to blessing the world, but does it? Dan over at PoserorProphet asks a question that haunts me: In light of poverty in the world, how do you justify your academic endeavors? He's trying to start a meme and engage a number of theologian-types to justify there academic pursuits, but most pressing is the point he makes about half-way in, drawing from Matthew 25:

"After all, it is the poor who will judge us. It is the poor person we encounter in the crucified and risen Christ who calls us to account for our actions, and it is the poor person of Jesus Christ who says to us, "whatever you did or did not do for 'the least of these' you did or did not do for me." Hence, if the poor will one day judge us, we would do well to be concerned as to whether or not we find them currently accepting the justifications we offer for our Academic endeavours."

"How will the poor judge your work?" That's powerful stuff.
It will definitely find its way into a sermon. How will the poor judge my work?