Sheep and Shepherd: Thoughts on Ezekiel 34, Matthew 25 and a global pandemic

The image of sheep and their shepherd gets a lot of play in Scripture. That’s likely because the idea of a group of wanderers under the care of a divine shepherd was (and is) very comforting. The Psalms are full of these images — as are the prophets — and the metaphor continues in the New Testament. And there are times, I’ll admit, that the comparisons feel a little stale; not fit for our post-modern sensibilities. Even in a part of the country with a rich agricultural heritage, the simplistic picture that Scripture paints can seem too good to be true. Surely we are more complicated — our relationship with the Divine, more mature — and yet, I find myself strangely comforted by the ‘tired old’ agricultural metaphor from Scripture; now more than ever.

I mention this at a time when those who comply with government recommendations on restrictions are referred to — disparagingly — as ‘sheep.’ The suggestion is that we ought to be using our own resources to navigate the challenges of this or that situation. Those who sneer at ‘compliant sheep’ imply that we are each fully capable of conquering our own destiny — they further argue that no one knows better than you what is best… for you.

It is in this atmosphere — and in my capacity as minister of Word and Sacrament — that I must challenge those assumptions.

The ancient metaphor holds up beautifully against our precious entitlements. The notion of a cosmic care-giver shouts sense into the meaningless babble of those who would claim to be free. There has never been a good argument for the ‘everyone fends for themselves’ argument that some describe as liberty. Humanity is endlessly, incredibly interconnected. There is no action taken that does not have an effect on the rest of the species. Even without a religious impulse, humans gather themselves together for the common good.

Individuals in the human family never thrive in the same way that groups do. And those groups need guidance. Whether a charismatic leader, or a shared set of values and principles, we need the cohesion that such guidance offers. In the Christian understanding, that guidance comes from God — under the guise of the Holy Spirit — following the example of Jesus.

And that guidance looks like a master sorting sheep from goats — judging the flock on how it performs — rewarding those who act together in the best interests of those they share the planet with… as though they were interacting with the Divine.

Our current predicament places us on the point of decision. We can choose to act in our own interest entirely: we can disguise fear as rebellion, and vainly defend individualism. But in this case, the considered opinion of the best medical minds on the planet suggest that isolation, caution, and certain protective measures are in the best interest of everyone. The act of corporate compliance is — during a global pandemic — the ultimate in selflessness. The shepherds call for caution, and the sheep would do well to obey. Not just for our own protection; we are being asked to look out for one another. We are being asked to follow kingdom rules:

“Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these — who are members of my family — you did it to me.” Those who insist on their own way; those who adopt a ‘me first’ attitude; who insist on rights that have no basis in reality; who dismiss the protective impulses seek the best for the group…those people are not going to like what comes next in this parable (Matthew 25:41ff). Go ahead — read it for yourself. Convince me that Jesus is rewarding those who defend their rights in spite of (or at the peril of) those who cannot or will not act. My Christian duty is to show by my actions that I care for those who are not like me — those who are not able to care for themselves — even those who are hostile toward my intentions. Not to force my feelings (or behaviours) on them, but to show by those behaviours that I recognize them as members of the same family; as a child of God.

Jesus — on the verge of turning defeat into eternal victory — is reminding his listener that the prize is not for the selfish, but the selfless. It is the protective impulse — the action that benefits the community — the compassionate urge — the innocent act of mercy; these are the things that matter. These are the markers of Holy Happiness; these are the keys to the Kingdom of God.

Rev. Jeff Lackie is minister of Word & Sacrament, St. John’s Presbyterian Church