WHO CAN WE TRUST

How do we know when someone is leading us or controlling us? There has been so much manipulation in the world throughout the ages. This began with the trickery of the serpent in the Garden of Eden to Eve and Adam, turning a free people into servants to be used for someone else's agenda. This happens in families, husbands and wives, parents to children, friends, neighbors, colleagues, politics and often in church circles.

What then should be our gauge to know when we're being controlled or led by free will?  Jesus said, “Anyone who doesn't come into the sheepfold using the door but climbs in another way is a thief and robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd”. A door can only be legally opened by the owner of the property or those he gives permission. He goes on to say His sheep (followers) recognize His voice and follow Him receiving His protection and provision, “If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and find pasture”. They won't follow a stranger.

Jesus also gave a warning about the counterfeit and said, “All others who've come (with promises) are thieves and robbers to steal, kill and destroy”. A good picture of this, in Israel's past, sheep were born and raised with shepherds, who walk with them, and they follow him anywhere because he is familiar. But around the world today, a sheep dog, horse or vehicle is used, not to lead but to push from behind and drive them through threats and fear.

The final pledge Jesus offers is, “I AM the Good Shepherd who gives His life for His sheep”. But a hireling, someone who profits from others, will run away when they see danger to their plans.  Jesus reveals to us that a true follower of Christ, is willing to spend his life for those God places in their care. Whether this is our families, neighbors, country, etc. Loyalty is the tested fruit of real love, the most powerful attribute where from real trust has been earned.

If we are a people claiming to love others but run away when things get too complicated or dangerous, we are only con- artists pretending to serve with motives of taking something in return.  We should each ask ourselves, “Am I a hireling or a shepherd?” And to be a true shepherd we must first learn to follow the only true One to lead us, Yeshua our King.  Then we'll learn from another natural order of a Shepherd leading his sheep in a group, the majority also follow behind a few of the lead sheep who walk directly with the Good Shepherd. 

The only way to know another's motives is to see who is really leading them by the fruit of those following.

Olga Hermann

Story from John 10

BLAMING OTHERS

There was a man lying down at a pool in Jerusalem, who was sick for 38 years.  He waited with many others; sick, blind, lame, paralyzed.  Every once in awhile, an angel would come and stir up the pool and the first one who got in would be healed.  

Jesus came and asked him "Do you want to be healed?", telling us this man had a choice.  But rather than say "Yes, of course", the man began to blame others for not helping him into the pool first. The only thing Jesus replied was, "Rise, take up your bed and walk."  Again, the man was given a choice to obey.  And immediately was made well and got up.  

Then the  Jews saw this man carrying his bed on the Sabbath the holy day of rest, which according to their written Laws it was illegal to carry anything, so they confronted him.  Again for the second time the man shifted blame to another and said "He who made me well told me to, "Take up your bed and walk".   

Later Jesus met the healed man in the temple, and said to him, "See you've been made well.  Sin no more, so a worse thing won't happen to you".  But unfortunately for them both, the man's sin of shifting blame had become fully developed and with his new healing he was able to walk over to the Jews to point out Jesus as the one who healed him and caused him to break Jewish Law by carrying his bed on the Sabbath.  And the story says the Jews began to persecute Jesus over this incident and wanted to kill him.

It's hard to say which sin is greater, those who value controlling systems above God's mercy of healing or the one betraying his healer to shift blame away from himself.  Leaving us to ponder, this story definitely gives us a choice to look at ourselves and either pick up our own beds of responsibilities with gratefulness or lie down in self pity and blame, causing grief and trouble to our Savior and others who help us.  Jesus said, “Sin no more, so a worse thing won't happen to you”.

Olga Hermann

Story from John 5