I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. John 10:11-13
My family decided to take a short trip to Chick-fil-a the other day. I admired how dedicated their staff was to making the experience a memorable one. All of them were cheery, and they treated us like . . . well . . . family. Yet, they are paid no different from other fast food employees, and while they are a Christian owned business, there are other faith based businesses that do not go the extra mile like they do. So what’s the difference? Maybe, they believe in something bigger than themselves. They choose to take ownership for their customer’s experience. That is far more memorable than the spicy chicken sandwich or the free drink refills.
We as Christians have to own our faith. Today’s verses are not just about how much Jesus loves us. It is also a challenge to us as followers of Christ. We are to be people of deep faith that willfully depend on what God teaches when we are under attack. We are not to be painted into corners by those who either focus exclusively on God’s law or disregard God altogether. Instead, we are to live with an understanding of the greatest commandment; to love God with all of our heart and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (see Matthew 22:36-40). Owning our faith means there are times we will not be popular and take stances others will not believe, but if we show God’s love through it all, we will be victorious for God's truth always wins in the end.
Believing in God is something bigger than us. Jesus paid for our salvation in blood. For that, we can choose to act like a hired hand and expect that He owes us something more, or we can go all out living for Him to make the world aware of His love, mercy, and wisdom. Which would you choose? How can you and I be more of an owner of our faith? My prayer is that we truly take ownership of being faithful servants of God. Amen.
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