Pr. 27:28: “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds.”
What is the state of your flock? Have you been looking, asking, or taking note? In the class I’m in right now, it’s reminding us how Jesus always noticed the needs in people’s lives and filled those needs. We are usually so great about filling the needs in the lives of people outside of our families, but I don’t think we are as good at ministering to the ones closest to us.
When it comes to the ones closest to us we suddenly begin looking inwardly, and shifting things to ask, “What are you going to do for me?”
Why does ministry have to stop at our front doors? We are still supposed to attend to our herds.
We can’t always give our best to those outside our immediate flock (whoever that is for you) and then have nothing left for the ones we have been told to attend. They also have needs. They also have desires. They also have hurts.
My class talks about how Jesus even broke tradition, in order to help people. He actually touched the leper when He healed him, even though he could have just spoken the word, because the leper probably needed human contact. They didn’t do that back then. He also forgave the woman caught in the act of adultery instead of stoning her, like he was supposed to by law, because she needed forgiveness.
I also remember when He healed someone on the Sabbath. I think that shows that just because we have a plan set for our morning, our evening, our day, our weekend, our class, etc., if someone in our flock has a need, sometimes we need to set aside our personal plan and minister to their need, and then move forward; as some needs are more important than others.
This also tells me that sometimes, we will have to do things in ways that might break the traditions we’ve set up in our own minds, as well. I had some Aha! moments about those for myself this week. Ask God what those are for you. In doing so, it may feel like you are giving something up, but didn’t Jesus also sacrifice for His sheep? If we are following Him, we must be like Him and trust that God will provide for all that we need.
One of the best things we can remember, when we are with our flocks, is that in order to be more like Jesus, we need to care for people. Jesus didn’t just say the words in the Bible. He said them while He was caring for people. We can’t just walk around saying words. We have to act them out, and it starts with our own flock.
Trust me, I’m talking to myself, fellow shepherds,
jamie
handle with care
considering the word 