Just a thought…
Something I’ve been pondering as the debates, attacks, name-calling, and mud-slinging that is campaign season have come upon us, and we attempt to determine which of the candidates would best serve us in public office…
Did you ever notice how Jesus actually spent quite a bit of time taking care of the physical needs of his followers? And when he wasn’t seeing to those needs, he was talking about it?
A few verses as reminders (links open in a new window/ tab):
Luke 9:12-17 Jesus feeds thousands with a few loaves and fishes
Matthew 5:40-41 If someone wants your coat, give him your shirt, too
John 21:17 Jesus orders Peter to “feed my sheep”
Jesus is known as the Good Shepherd. Why? Because, like a good shepherd, He knew how to take care of His flock, physically and spiritually.
How many of the politicians currently in office—politicians who hold jobs that require them to serve the public—are being good shepherds? How many of those who want to hold public office have been good shepherds?
Our elected officials are there to serve us. They are there to make sure that our rights—”life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”, and all that this phrase entails—are being protected. They are there to be public servants, stewards for the country (or state or county or city).
How many of them are doing their jobs?
How many of them, instead, spend their time serving their needs by infringing on our rights through passing laws that give the government power over every aspect of our lives, by threatening our livelihoods through decimating our economy, by showing us they don’t care about our physical well-being through fighting proposals who would help the most down-trodding and needy constituents—”the least of these” that God Himself directs us to serve?
And how many of these public servants claim to be “Christian”? How many of them proclaim that they are following the path of Jesus? Are they truly doing that if they aren’t obeying His commands?
When we go to vote, should we not make sure that the people we vote into office actually demonstrate a desire to take care of us? Isn’t that the absolute basic requirement for being a public servant, a “shepherd” for one’s constituency?
In this political environment, it’s getting more and more difficult to distinguish the good shepherds from those who would gleefully let their flocks be taken by wolves.
Some of them invite the wolves to the table and serve the sheep on fine china.
