Good Shepherd

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away — and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. John 10:11-13

My mom called them "fair weather friends." People who show up when times are good, when you have money, or are throwing a party. But when there's work to be done, or times are tough or you are in need, they are nowhere to be found. These are "friends" of convenience. I'll bet lotto winners meet a lot of these. Whether at church or school or on the playing field, their cry is, "What's in it for me" or "How can you make me feel good?"

Jesus takes a different route. His questions are, "What's in it for you?" or "How may I serve you?" Christ has a "no matter what the cost" investment in you. And he tells us that only that kind of investment leads to the life we crave. A fair weather lifestyle looks like it will pay off but it is a dead end. It leaves us unsatisfied and constantly seeking a new high. Contentment is nowhere to be found.

What kind of friend, spouse, sibling, church member or business associate will you be today? Don't just click the "like" button, be a Good Shepherd.