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“Being More Like Sheep”
By Sheldon Smith
People tend to take that which is good and make it bad, and the concept of sheep has fallen victim to that tendency. The Bible tells us we should strive each day to be more like sheep. This world is not our home, and we should not spend the time we have left tangled in worldly affairs but instead choose to let our lights shine and try to influence others toward the narrow path that the Bible says few will find (Matthew 7:14) – likely because of prideful selfish desires that lead to factions and strife.
Hebrews 13:20-21 reads, “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
We have a Shepherd in Heaven and in the church, we have shepherds. Our relationship to those shepherds is to be as sheep. As we submit to Christ, our Heavenly Shepherd, the scriptures equip us to do works that please Him, not ourselves (Colossians 1:10, 2 Timothy 3:16).
But what about the worldly activities that have so much of the world embroiled on controversy today? James 3:13-18 tells us, “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.
But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
The world thrives on catering to the pride of life and the lusts of the flesh. The bible tells us in 1 John 2:15-17, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”
To be effective disciples, we must reject the ways of the world that tend to be divisive and self-driven and truly submit ourselves to our Heavenly Shepherd. We must strive to love God more than we love the world which will one day cease to exist. We must humble ourselves before the Lord, emptying ourselves of ourselves.
As disciples of Christ, we must bear good fruit based on God’s standard, not man’s. The Bible tells us what good fruit looks like. Galatians 5:22-26 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.”
Are you living by the spirit? If not, we are always glad to help wherever we can. Feel free to message us on Facebook or send us an email to blackstonecoc256@gmail.com.
