September 11, 2014
Shepherding
After visiting some churches it’s been
interesting to shake hands with pastors who seem to look through me, rather
than at me. There is no recognition that I might be a member, nor is there any attempt
to make a connection, it’s simply, “Have a good day.” The analogy of the
shepherd and his flock comes to mind. So often we focus on the sheep hearing
and knowing the shepherd voice, but there is also the element of the shepherd
knowing his sheep. These pastors are oblivious to whether I belong to their
flock or someone else’s flock. For all they know I could be a wolf in sheep’s
clothing, a thief or a robber; someone who is there to steal, kill and destroy.
Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know
me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I
lay down my life for the sheep” (Jn 10:14-15 NIV).
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1 comment:
Gail;
-----I suppose they can’t all be Lloyd McMillan. But even knowing who everyone is and their names isn’t taking interest in them or their well being. Jesus calls us to love everyone. That in the least is an interest in their well being. This is why I am convinced that the manifold wisdom He is manifesting through the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places is simply the central role of grace and mercy in salvation. We all try to be right before the Lord, but we fall more than a little short of it.
-----There’s too many other issues walling off interest in the well being of strangers, even if they are strangers in the Lord. For several years I’ve been practicing first thought about the well being of strangers I see. If you can get a string of thoughts going they can produce attitudes. Love is partially an attitude. If there is some effect I will have upon a stranger in a shared place and moment, considerate thought sparked by the mere sight of someone will make any effect I have upon him conducive to his well being. If I have no effect because I have not enough proximity, then let my thought be a prayer. That’s still an effect. It’s still love. But I am shy. I worry too much about what people will think of me when I am in a good mood, and I worry too little about it to be considerate when in bad moods, which are the moods I’m generally in. If His wisdom shown through us is the grace and mercy shown upon us, then He needs to show a lot through me because my walls are too high and too thick and too many.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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