04 25 2021
Acts 4:5-12; Psalm 23; 1 John 3:16-24; John 10:11-18
I spent some time this week learning about what modern shepherds
do. Here is a little of what I learned. They make sure there is good grazing,
including checking for harmful plants or animals. They watch for the health of
their sheep, offering medical care as needed. They shear the sheep and prepare
the wool for sale, or use it themselves. They haul sheep to market or auction. Of
course, first they have to convince the sheep to get into the truck!
Often, shepherds help with lambing, as I found out in person. My friend, one-time boss, classmate, and colleague, Cathi was a shepherd. I met Cathi at seminary, and worked with her at Women of the ELCA in Churchwide headquarters in Chicago.
I was moving from internship in Iowa to my new home in Michigan,
and stayed at her place over night. First, she cooked dinner for us, and then
we put on warm clothes and went out to the barn where a ewe was in labor. Cathi
placed herself at the tail and told me to stand at the ewe’s head. In just a
few minutes she was handing me a tiny lamb and a towel. “Here,” she said. “Dry
him off while I catch his twin.” It was an unforgettable moment in my life.
The image of God as shepherd is about as old as the Hebrew Bible. In Psalm 23, we see how well God takes care of us. God has called God’s people “God’s flock,” and does everything possible to keep us well-fed and safe.
Jesus claims this familiar image for God for himself. “I am the
Good Shepherd,” he says. “You are so important to me that I willingly give up
my life so you may live well. I care for you much better than a hired hand
does.”
I read a lot of commentary this week about the term “hired hand”.
I suspect most, if not all of us, have had our times of being the hired hand. And
we have given our particular assignments the best we had to offer. Honesty and
speed as a grocery cashier. Accuracy as a factory assembler. Thoroughness as a
lawn mower. And so forth. We were well-respected hired hands.
I also suspect we have known people who did as little as possible at whatever job they had. They always had something else to do. The boss picked on them. The equipment was busted. And so forth. They were the type of hired hands Jesus is referring to. They will not protect the sheep from the wolves; instead, they will run away at the slightest sign of danger.
In John’s first letter to his congregation, he makes it clear
that Jesus is about love. Jesus laid down his life for us, and we should be
willing to do the same in return. The way we behave should be a reflection of
our awareness of Jesus’ love for us. John doesn’t put it this way, but we could
say that we aren’t supposed to act like the hired hands who run away. If we
have the ability to help someone in need, it’s our job to do so.
What kind of things might God’s Called Hands do? At St Matthew’s,
of course, we would continue to feed hungry people. We would continue to
provide hygiene items and toiletries to people in need in the area. We would
continue to welcome all people into our midst. Assuming COVID permits, we would
continue to invite our neighbors to know Jesus at the Live Nativity.
God’s Called Hands are always looking for more ways to show
Jesus’ love. For example, here is a story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brzjeICcIt0
[Video summary: The most compassionate pizza shop invites
those who have the funds to pre-pay for a slice to feed someone who can’t pay
for it.]
Jesus loves us as a Good Shepherd loves all the sheep in the flock. We are not hired hands who run away when the wolf appears. We are God’s Called Hands, called to serve God’s people with love, because we have been loved first. We are called to love, as we also have been loved.
Amen
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