Isn't this one of cutest things you've seen all day? I love how soft and fluffy sheep are, how little lambs are the adorable indicators of Spring's arrival. (My goal here isn't to tell you that I want to be as cute as this little lamb...)
Yesterday, driving home from Everson, David and I listened to a podcast of a sermon given by Mark Driscoll from Mars Hill Church. It was all about the parable of the lost coin and of the lost sheep. We've been teaching parables to our kids' Sunday School class, so it seemed fitting to hear this message.
Quick side note - if you haven't listened to Driscoll, you really should! He's really funny and easy to listen to, and he always gives me a lot to think about. I always have to do some mulling over what he said afterward. Check out his newest sermon series: (You can watch the video, or just listen to it)
Anyway, he talked about sheep. How they wander off and get distracted by the things around them. How they forget to follow their shepherd, and how then the shepherd has to come looking for them. That sounds a lot like me - just now, as I was searching for the image right up there I got distracted by a story about Reese Witherspoon (she got married), and then took five minutes getting back on track. I'm easily distracted.
Jesus tells us in Luke 15 that the shepherd goes after the sheep (Christians, his followers), leaving behind the others to search out the one that is missing. He does this because he loves us, and he wants us to stay with him. My point isn't about the wandering off, but that as a sheep, I'm supposed to be following Jesus. My goal should be to stick close to Him and to go where ever he's leading me. I know from experience in my life that when I'm sticking close to Christ, things are better!
So, this afternoon I made a stop at Starbucks. Mmmm. Yummy, Cinnamon Dolce Latte. As I was sitting there, talking to my baby who was buckled in his car seat, I noticed a man walking down the sidewalk. He had a on hood and a heavy coat with two backpacks. I assumed that he was homeless, especially as I watched him dig through the garbage can maybe twenty feet ahead of me.
As I sat there in line, I knew I had some extra money. I could give him some. But my pride gets the best of me. I sat there thinking how uncomfortable it would be to go to a stranger and offer him money. What if he wasn't actually homeless? What if he was offended? What would he use the money for if I gave it to him?
And then I remembered where Jesus said in Matthew 25:31-40:
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right [the sheep], 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."
Baaa, Baaa!
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| "I'm coming, Jesus!" |
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