Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the NET, netbible.org, all rights reserved)

Indeed, I am about to raise up a shepherd in the land who will not take heed of the sheep headed to slaughter, will not seek the scattered, and will not heal the injured. Moreover, he will not nourish the one that is healthy, but instead will eat the meat of the fat sheep and tear off their hooves.
Zechariah 11:16 (emphasis added)

Some commands are ‘positive’ saying do this or that. Some commands are ‘negative’ saying do not do this or that. Today’s verse is a negative. It is pointing toward behaviour that should not be. It is pointing toward behaviour that should not be emulated. It is pointing out the negative in order to remind us what we SHOULD be doing. In order to point out what a shepherd SHOULD be like. In order to make it clear what the result of their disobedience was. Yahweh wasn’t raising this individual for fun, on a whim, or to teach them something. This was pure, Old Covenant punishment for transgression.

First of all, this is not an indictment against a PARTICULAR individual or GROUP of individuals. Jesus didn’t merely suggest, but in fact COMMANDED us to make disciples of other people (Matthew 28:19-20). It doesn’t matter if we are working on it one-on-one, in a group, in a stadium crowd, or a nation at a time across multimedia platforms. We are commended to make them. ANY individual, group, or nation that chooses to come to Adonai on our watch is whom we are RESPONSIBLE for. We are their shepherd under the Great Shepherd. “Now may the God of peace who by the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, equip you with every good thing to do his will, working in us what is pleasing before him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21). Since we are all shepherds of one kind or another, every single one of us should be doing these things when we have someone in our charge. In fact, they are good instructions for ANY shepherding including mentoring, parenting, or management roles.

Heed the sheep headed to slaughter. We all know people that seem to be on a self-destructive path. Or a path where what they sought has taken hold of them, leaving them in an addictive pattern. Any actions we take that are not life-giving are death. ANY sin we do has a consequence of taking something that could be vibrant and corrupting it. If we sin sexually, we get a warped idea of sexuality. If we sin financially, we get greedy and hoardy. If we sin verbally, we lose sight of what cuts we are inflicting. Every sin carries with it a consequence. We may not pay the PRICE of that sin (Colossians 1:14), but we will have to deal with the CONSEQUENCE of it (1 John 1:10). Jesus will forgive us if we are truly repentant (1 John 1:8–9). We will still need to deal with the consequences – but not on our own. Jesus will tell us how, when, and give us the strength to see it through if we seek Him for it.

As shepherds, we need to be looking out for our sheep. When we see someone dealing with stuff they shouldn’t have to, we need to be there to guide them. NOT force them – Jesus didn’t force you, don’t you try to force anyone else – but lead, guide, encourage, and assist. If we have been gifted with the experience to know that this person is making a mistake that will hurt them, it is our responsibility to kindly and gently tell them. It is TRUTH over tough love. There is always an Adonai-way to say something. The Ruach HaKodesh will tell us what to say in the way that will have the most impact and when it will be best received (Matthew 10:19). Being handed over to the authorities sometimes seems easier than speaking into the life of a friend. Maybe they won’t take your words to heart, but you have demonstrated with TRUTH and Adonai’s point of view that you care about them enough to speak life to them. Later, they will be grateful for your support. Too many times we don’t speak out. We don’t say what we should for fear of rejection or because it’s out of our comfort zone. Jesus always spoke the truth at the direction and heeding of the Ruach HaKodesh. We should too.

Seek the scattered. People get lost. In fact, since people are built to move you will find there are always those moving in the wrong direction. “For you were going astray like sheep but now you have turned back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25). We only turn back when someone comes for us. When someone loves us enough to seek us, speak to us, and give us a hand. There’s a reason we often see pictures of shepherds with sheep on their shoulders. Sheep wandering off can get injured and need to be carried to get the proper help. A good shepherd doesn’t leave his charges in distress. He leads them. To good feeding areas. To good watering areas. To good resting areas. And they never, ever leave one off and lost or injured. That wouldn’t build any trust. Without trust, how can a shepherd lead? Sure, they would know his voice, but they wouldn’t heed it. It’s like raising kids. If all you do is nag, lecture, and whine at them, you become background noise. Ignored. Tuned out. Unhelpful. Adonai calls us to be better than that, no matter HOW hard it might seem. It is one of the reasons we have access to the Fruit of the Spirit – to accomplish what He has laid before us (Galatians 5:22-26).

Heal the injured. I’m being forced somewhat into the role of a neighbourhood den mother. There have been many requests for bandaids from the crowd who seek our door. Bandaids and cookies, but depending on the day the cookies aren’t that much of a benefit to their health. When we are injured we naturally seek out help from fellow humans. It is only when things have gone poorly that we choose to stop reaching out. When we choose to hide our injuries. When we choose to pick up the world’s line of being vulnerable instead of the Word’s line of being humble.

Loving your neighbour (Matthew 22:37–39) is not some weird call for adultery. It is a call to place importance on those around us. The Jewish teacher Lubavitcher Rebbe taught ‘What is the difference between kindness and compassion? Kindness give to another. Compassion knows no “other”.’ We aren’t to leave those who need healing without it. Sure, we can use doctors and medicine and psychology and other ‘normal’ methods. But Jesus TOLD us to HEAL period. We can command it in His Name. It IS the Will of the Father and we CAN do it. The Word teaches that.

Nourish the healthy. Often we look at the sick and the injured. The widow and the orphan. And that is important to do. But we are ALSO not to avoid the ones who are healthy. We are to KEEP them healthy by ensuring that they are nourished. “You have destroyed my people by failing to acknowledge me! Because you refuse to acknowledge me, I will reject you as my priests. Because you reject the law of your God, I will reject your descendants” (Hosea 4:6). How can those we shepherd be equipped for success if we fail to teach them? If we fail to give them the knowledge that they need to survive and thrive? We haven’t been blessed simply because Adonai wants to bless us. We get blessed so that we will bless other people – especially the ones that don’t know enough to be able to stand in the blessing zone themselves. We need to find the whole and teach them what they need to STAY whole. We need to make sure they are receiving the opportunity to take their daily bread and consume it.

Keep the sheep whole. We aren’t here to fleece those Adonai brings to into our care. We aren’t there to hurt them. Betray them. Take advantage of them. Use them as slave labour. We aren’t here to make false promises. We are here to make sure that they operate in what Adonai has given them. That they have the tools to strengthen their trust in Him. That they have the opportunity to succeed and thrive and expand. We are to CARE for those in our charge. It is SO SIMPLE and yet so many of us have gotten it wrong over the years. None of us are perfect, but when we rely on Adonai for our instructions and guidance, we are able to take care of others the way THEY need to be cared for. It’s important that we lose nothing entrusted to us. It is MORE important that we help improve what has been entrusted to us (Matthew 25:14-30).

Don’t interfere with their feet. In various biblical contexts, feet symbolise readiness, preparation, and the commitment to walk in God’s ways. They also represent the journey of faith and spreading the Gospel among nations. We teach so that the ones we teach can teach others. We are here to expand the Kingdom with disciples and to help those disciples make disciples. It is not OUR place to determine what they do. What call is on their life. Adonai might share it with us or use us to speak something into their life, but we aren’t the arbiters of their journey with Him. We might not even see His hand. But just like children learning to walk, we need to let those in our charge take their own steps. We’re there to help them if they bump or fall, but so is Adonai and He does a better job than we do. We’re to work WITH him and FOR Him, never in His place. An encourager encourages. A builder builds. A shepherd shepherds. None of them tear down or block the motion of their charges. We’re not here to stunt their growth, but to help it along.

Do not be a bad shepherd. Follow His example and be a good one. Heal, help, feed, care, nurture, and guide your flock. Whether it is one, a hundred, or in the thousands, they are your charges and you’re here to help them shine for Him.

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Psalm 78:1-2

“A well-written song by Asaph. Pay attention, my people, to my instruction. Listen to the words I speak. I will sing a song that imparts wisdom; I will make insightful observations about the past.” Messiah would be a teacher, but He would teach in parables. He would tell in stories. He would make things relatable to all levels of intelligence from the simple to the complex, all with a story illustrating a point. “Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the crowds; he did not speak to them without a parable. This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.”” (Matthew 13:34-35). Jesus was careful to teach in parables. Those who were seeking His Father would be able to learn the true meaning of His parables. Knowledge was not hidden to keep it from us, but to encourage our seeking of it. Jesus helped get truth into our minds with His parables. Jesus IS the Messiah!

Your Daily Confession of Jesus/Yeshua’s Identity:

Yeshua is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Matthew 16:16b