In the gospel of John (John 10:1-18), Jesus said, “I am the great shepherd.” He also says that his sheep hear his voice and that He knows them by name. There is a close relationship between the Great Shepherd and His sheep. How well do you listen to Jesus? We live in a world that praises the spectacular. The superior athlete. The elite of teams. The biggest and the best.
Yet Jesus heals the sick. He restores sight to the blind and heals the lame. He calms storms and feeds the hungry. He touches the diseased leprosy person who others avoid. He eats with sinners and offers life to the outcasts of His day. How clearly do we hear the voice of our Great Shepherd?
When was the last time you talked to someone who others see as a failure or a misfit? When was the last time you fed someone who was hungry? When was the last time you visited the sick? Matthew 25:40 says, “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’”
Lord, please open our eyes to see the overlooked and ignored. Help us to find joy in the ordinary.
