Verse of the day: Numbers 27:16-17, “Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 17 who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.”
Whenever I read this verse, or the one in the Gospel of Matthew (9:36), where it is written of Jesus, “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd”, I am reminded of a trip to Mexico from years ago. I had spoken to many people who were walking around in the center of one of the villages we had visited. I approached this one woman and asked her if she had ever heard of Jesus. She replied that she had not. As I continued to speak with her, she said something that pierced my heart and brought tears to my eyes. Even now as I write this my vision clouds. Her statement to me was, “I have never heard any of this, and our people here have not. How will we hear this if we have no one to tell us?” The words of Matthew 9:36 immediately flooded my mind and my heart. The Lord allowed me the opportunity to lead this woman to Him, as well as a number of others in that village center that day. That experience has always stuck in my mind. The fact of the matter is that the entire world needs to hear the Gospel message. Whether it is a small village in Mexico, or any other part of the world, those who do not know Jesus are like sheep without a shepherd. However, how will they know about the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) unless we are the ones who are telling them? How can we who have a personal relationship with Jesus neglect such great a treasure, and allow our own insecurities and fears to keep us from opening our mouths and speaking His Name? How can we neglect such great a treasure by bringing a blemish to the Name of Jesus by our words, attitudes, and behavior, which dishonor the Lord, when others desperately need to hear the Good News? Romans 10:14 asks us, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” We, all of us, who are born again believers, are the preachers. Jesus commanded in Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Sheep, left to their own devices, are in great danger of wandering into situations that will lead to their deaths. They will walk to the edge of cliffs and fall to their death. They will fall into pits and ditches and meet their demise. If they fall over onto their back, they cannot right themselves on their own. This is only a short list of the troubles they can find themselves in when left on their own. There is a reason God refers to us as sheep. Left to ourselves, we will choose paths that lead to death, not just physical, but eternal also. Even as born again believers, some of us have a tendency to wander into dangerous areas that can bring us great harm, especially spiritually speaking. Sadly, what I see more and more today in Christianity is that far too many Christians are self-absorbed, and more concerned about self. “What can I gain while I’m here?” “How can I have a bigger house, better car, and more toys?” “How can I make more money to buy things for myself and live more comfortably?” Far too many of us Christians have allowed the “me, myself, and I” syndrome to creep in and infect our mindset, much to the demise of those who need to hear the Gospel message and receive Christ. How can we say that we know and love Jesus, and yet have no compassion for those who are wandering around without Him? The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” Does the fact that we were once dead without Jesus but, because of His love for us, now have life eternal drive us to share Him with others? Are we still living for ourselves rather than for the One to whom we belong to, because we have been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), and will give account to (Romans 14:12)? When was the last time we truly looked at others through the lenses of compassion, and felt moved to do whatever we could to share Jesus with them?
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
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