I was driving home the other day when I noticed a sheep walking alone in a field. My first thought was that it’s really odd to see only one sheep in a large pasture. After all, this is West Texas, home of coyotes, bob cats, and other predators. What would cause this one sheep to be by itself? Why would the owner of the land only have purchased one, it just didn’t make sense to me. Then something caught my eye and I realized the cause. The sheep was injured; enough that I could see it visibly hobbling as I passed by at 65 mph. The rest of the flock was over 300 yards away and this defenseless animal had been left alone to fend for itself, to endure its struggle… alone. I began to wonder why they would do that. Why would the flock abandon the one? Don’t they know it’s more vulnerable now? If they could only understand that by alienating this poor sheep that the odds were against it, leaving it more susceptible to attack. Then my heart began to sink as I realized that the rest of the herd was concerned only for its own well-being and cared nothing for the suffering of another.My thoughts then turned to the owner of the field. Why would he leave the injured sheep in the field? Doesn’t he care about this one?
As I continued down the highway, my mind was flooded with the biblical correlations of believers to sheep. I couldn’t help but think about how we as believers do exactly the same thing to other Christians. We disown the injured member, send them on their way, avoid them, and frankly, carry on with our lives as if the ailing member didn’t even exist. Why do we do that? Are we somehow afraid that our white as snow garments will be tarnished by the mud and mire of this world? Have we convinced ourselves that the one who is hurting wants to be left alone, or that he or she doesn’t long for the love, acceptance and protection that is found within the flock? What about the “Owner of the Field?” Does He have anything to say about this? Doesn’t it say in Matthew, “If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?”
The problem is that we’ve forgotten that Scripture not only refers to believers as sheep, but also as the body, that is the body of Christ. It is we who are His hands and His feet and His heart. It is our obligation to be Christ to the world. But if you’re anything like me, you twist Paul’s words here, correlating your lack of concern to your gifting.
“I’m not gifted in those areas so I’ll leave this to those that are, but oh how I love Jesus.”
As James said, “faith without works is dead.” We try to plead our case, making every attempt to justify our lack of action, but in the end, it’s a heart issue.
In Matthew 25, Jesus exposes the heart. He says, “for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me. Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'
So I wonder, have you seen any sheep lately?
2 comments:
I have seen some sheep lately. On occasion I have helped the sick or hurting or outcast, but it seems that I often either don't see them because I'm not looking or I see but rationalize that I have my own problems to deal with and move along. I am often like the priest and the Levite in the story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37)as i walk by on the other side of the road as the wounded lie suffering and in need.
Thank you for helping to convict me and to remind me of my calling. I will be looking for the lost sheep this week.
Lately it has occurred to me that reaching the lost will rely heavily on how we treat each other. Let me elaborate.
100 years ago, the Bible had authority with the un-churched masses. Even though they didn't follow It themselves, they believed that it was the Word of God. So the Christian could use It to explain the claims of Christ to the lost. The evangelist's message was validated by Scripture and that was good enough for most people.
Today, many people really do believe that truth is relative. The Bible may be true & authoritative for me, but that doesn't mean that It has any relevance for them. And It is subject to multiple interpretations.
So, in order to explain the claims of Christ to the lost, we must become a living Bible in their view. Treating each other, and them, as Christ would have treated them will validate our message in a way that nothing else will.
Or so it seems to me.
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