What Kind of a Shepherd Are You! – Dcn. Jerry
July 15, 2021
What Kind of a Shepherd Are You!
Speaking through Jeremiah the prophet, God promises the coming of shepherds “who will shepherd (the people) so that they need no longer fear and tremble.”
The shepherds of Israel are being castigated by Jeremiah because they “have not cared” for the people. Jesus, on the other hand, feels for the people and will eventually give his life for them.
As followers of Jesus Christ we are called to be Shepherds for God’s people. We are called to make sure all of our sheep are safe and protected from wolves (Satan and his gang) who want to bring eternal death to our sheep.
We are to make sure that all of our sheep are fed. (689 million people live in extreme poverty on $1.90 or less a day, according to the World Bank)
As a Shepherd for Christ we make a place for them to stay to protect them from the environment. (There are an estimated 553,742 people in the United States experiencing homelessness)
A Shepherd “shall do what is just and right in the land. (Anyone who has had to exercise leadership, whether in a family, an institution or in a civic role, knows how challenging it can be to reconcile differences and to build unity. Nevertheless, for both religious and secular leaders, our Scriptures this Sunday urge both compassion for those who are vulnerable & the strength to bring peoples together).
As a Shepherd do we see all of the different color of sheep as the same and treat them as such?
Questions
How much food have I given to our pantry to be shared with those less fortunate?
How much clothing and items for children have I given to our Love Life Program?
How many prayers have I said for the poor, homeless & hungry?
What kind of a Shepherd for Christ am I?
You cannot change others; no, but you can see them with new eyes, Christ eyes, who sees all with respect and understanding. – J. Palin
Deacon Jerry