Person-2-Person - December, 2024

“Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” – Mother Teresa

A couple of months ago, my wife, Charlotte, and I attended the St. Louis regional science fiction convention, Archon, as we do every year. There were some confused, humorous moments during the Opening Ceremonies, so during the Closing Ceremonies, the Guest of Honor, author Travis Baldree, acknowledged them. He began his remarks by saying, “I’m going to act like I know what I’m doing,” to laughter and applause. It can be confusing and frustrating when we don’t know what we’re doing, and the consequences can be even worse when they affect others. When I’m driving to an unfamiliar destination, I frequently rely on my wife, Charlotte, who in turn relies on her phone for navigation. But if that information was inaccurate, we’d be lost.

In Jesus’ time, there were many people who didn’t know what they were doing in regard to God’s will. Centuries earlier, the prophet Isaiah had written of a savior to come: “He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will carry the lambs in his arms and gently lead the ewes with young.” (Isa. 40:11 The Living Bible). Jesus came into a world of “lost sheep” (Luke 19:10). Those “lost sheep” included all descendants of Abraham (vs. 9b) and us too (Gal. 3:7-9). We’re told Jesus went around to the towns and villages near Nazareth, teaching and curing diseases (Matt. 9:35). When he saw the crowds, he felt pity for them, because “. . . They were like sheep without a shepherd.” (vs. 9:36b TLB). He told Zacchaeus the tax collector, “‘. . . I, the Messiah, have come to search for and to save such souls as his.’” (Luke 19:10 TLB). He wasn’t just looking for any souls but lost souls—souls like yours and mine, souls like our neighbors’.

Jesus responded by sending the twelve disciples out, “. . . and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of sickness and disease.” (Matt. 10:1b TLB). He told them to go “‘. . . to the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep.’” (10:6b TLB). He had previously told them, “‘Not all who sound religious are really godly people. They may refer to me as “Lord,” but still won’t get to heaven. For the decisive question is whether they obey my Father in heaven.’” (7:21 TLB.) He knew there would be those who would pretend to “know what they were doing” but would lead others away from God’s will and wouldn’t have the well being of others in mind. They might say and do many good things in his name (vs. 22), but in the end, he would tell them, “‘“You have never been mine. Go away, for your deeds are evil.”’” (vs. 23b TLB). He doesn’t specify who he’s referring to, but apparently the disciples would recognize them. He had told them to “‘Beware of false teachers who come disguised as harmless sheep, but are wolves and will tear you apart.’” (vs. 15 TLB). He said those “wolves” would be recognizable by their fruits (vs. 16-20).

There are similar “false teachers” in our world today, but we can recognize them. Paul wrote, “For though once your heart was full of darkness, now it is full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it!” (Eph. 5:8 TLB). This is the “fruit” Jesus was talking about, the fruit we should be able to see in potential teachers. The Pharisees didn’t display this fruit. In a sense, they didn’t know what they were doing.

But we should know what we’re doing, or at least what we’re supposed to be doing. Sometimes we’re “lost sheep” and sometimes we’re the ones ministering to “lost sheep.” Our situation can change from day to day—or even hour to hour—(Rom. 7:19) but in all cases, we’re called to “. . . be strong and steady, always abounding in the Lord’s work,” (1 Cor. 15:58b TLB).

The message of Advent is the story of a God who had compassion on a world of lost sheep, who sent a savior to be their shepherd and show them the way (1 John 4:14-15), and who in turn sends us. We’re called both to heal and to challenge, to declare both the reality of hope and the need for redemption. “It is God’s will that your good lives should silence those who foolishly condemn the Gospel without knowing what it can do for them, having never experienced its power.” (1 Pet. 2:15 TLB).

“And what pity he felt for the crowds that came, because their problems were so great and they didn’t know what to do or where to go for help. They were like sheep without a shepherd.
“‘The harvest is so great, and the workers are so few,’ he told his disciples. ‘So pray to the one in charge of the harvesting, and ask him to recruit more workers for his harvest fields.’” (Matt. 9:36-38 TLB.)