Caught by surprise

Yesterday I was at Dad's house and as usual, I read the Bible there. We read Matthew 25:31-46.
It is very interesting that the way I read the Bible has changed very much after I strongly believe that the Spirit is over me, I have a new life in Jesus, I was born again, I will see Jesus after death, Jesus is in me, I am in Jesus, etc.
Matthew 25:31-46 seems, at first, a more Arminian text. Jesus is judging people: some were merciful and others not. The merciful goes to heaven, the unmerciful to hell. So basically, people are judged by his way of living.
As I was reading, verse 34 caught my attention:

34 Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father [you [g]favored of God and appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

So, it is well written that the kingdom was prepared for the elect since the Big Bang. Is this an Arminian text?
But I considered another very interesting point. Both sides seemed to be caught by surprise. Let us see.

37 Then the just and upright will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink?

They didn't notice Jesus when they were being merciful. Why?
A merciful person, guided by the Spirit, is not seeking a return from the Lord because He is really confident that the Lord is with him, that he has the blessing, the joy, the peace from the Lord. He is a light person. So they were caught by surprise when Jesus told them that their mercy was towards Him.
The other group was also taken by surprise:

44 Then they also [in their turn] will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?

A religious person that is not guided by the Spirit expects some return from the Lord. Even their good acts are not pleasing to the Lord. They might have contributed to their local church or any other entity that clearly was pro-Jesus. In the last day, they will think something as: "I did so much for Jesus, I worked so much to Him and He is not paying me back, what a deception!"

What can I understand from this text?
A genuine faith which leads to God's communion, leads also to a new life that loves others, that has compassion to the poor and oppressed. Let my faith be genuine! Certainly, Jesus has been changing my life. I see it, others see it. So, the question is not: "Am I merciful to enter into the kingdom?". A proper question is: "How to be more merciful in order to please my Redeemer?"
Let me confess my lack of mercy. I still can't change diapers of mommy.