My friends, the end is drawing near. And, we are thankful. In the immortal words of Jerry Garcia – “What a long, strange trip it’s been.”
Of course, I’m talking about the Presidential Election. [What did you think I was talking about?] Four weeks from the day this note is published is Election Day; and one day later, all of the controversy, all of the ill-will, and all of the division that presently exists in this Nation will be resolved, and we will all embrace each other once again in true fellowship and citizenship – right?
Perhaps I am being overly optimistic. But isn’t that exactly what is supposed to happen? Isn’t that what used to happen?
At some point [which I believe happened long before the current Presidential Election], politics left the realm of cordial disagreement between friends and brothers, and entered the realm of blood sport. Political disagreement became a matter of life and death. And it’s not just in Presidential politics - this kind of thinking has even seeped its way down into some local elections.
Can anyone remember the days when the candidates [and their supporters] would talk about the differences in leadership styles, in ideas, and in philosophies between each other, and then try to convince voters that they would be better at bringing improvement to life in America than their opponent? Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that now, the differences between the candidates are no longer pointed to as being simply matters of the degree to which each could bring about the betterment of life. No, these differences are pointed to as completely disqualifying the other candidate from even being worthy of consideration, and perhaps even from being worthy of being allowed to be a part of our society. [And please don’t try to say that one side or the other is at fault. The blame is shared equally.]
This is not supposed to be a political rant. I’m trying to lay a little foundation about qualifications for a task so that I can make an observation about how we live and serve in The Kingdom of God. As you recall, this past Sunday, we looked at the events surrounding the anointing of David, when he was still a young man, to be the next King of Israel. As I thought about that event, it occurred to me that something that is not actually recorded in The Bible must have taken place that day, without which, God would have instantly disqualified David from even being considered as the next King. Since it’s not something that is actually written in the Bible, I know I’m speculating a little bit. But, I’m pretty sure I’m right about this. Can you guess?
As you recall, David was not present when Samuel the Prophet arrived for the anointing ceremony because he was tending the sheep. His father had to send someone to tell David to come back home. Upon hearing the message to return home, what the Bible doesn’t say David did, but which I’m certain he did do before heading home, was to make sure that someone else was in place to take over the job of tending the sheep while he was gone. Without someone to care for them, the sheep would be in actual and serious danger. Everything we know about David tells us that he would have never left the sheep in danger.
My guess is that the first thing Samuel asked David when he finally arrived was, “Did you leave the sheep alone?” If the answer had been, “Yes”, I am convinced the ceremony would not have proceeded. Any shepherd who cared so little for the sheep as to leave them unprotected – even for the purpose of being anointed as King - would have shown that he was not a “good” shepherd, and was therefore truly unqualified for the task. Psalm 78:70-72 tells us that God chose David for the purpose of “shepherding” the people of Israel. Jesus tells us that a good shepherd will protect the flock with his life [John 10:11]. The very reason David was chosen to be King was because he had the heart of a good shepherd. So, without saying it explicitly, The Bible certainly informs us that David made sure the flock was not abandoned and unprotected when he left to meet Samuel.
Of course, maybe Samuel didn’t even have to ask that question. Surely David arrived at his anointing ceremony smelling like sheep, and Samuel could tell, simply by using his nose, that David was a “good” shepherd. My guess is that David could hardly sit still through the ceremony because he was anxious to get back to where his heart really was – back with the sheep.
Beth Moore, a wonderful teacher of God’s word, says this about Saul, the King before David: “Saul’s position exceeded his passion.” And then, she pointedly says, “Most of us have been there.” OUCH!, right?
You could probably substitute the word “heart” for “passion” in Beth Moore’s statement. David’s small task of tending the sheep did not exceed his passion, did not exceed his heart. He was fully invested, even in this small matter. That was one of the things that showed that he was “a man after God’s own heart.” That is why he was chosen by God to be the next King. And when he eventually arrived at the higher calling of being the King, his heart and passion rose to and was equal to that task as well.
How’s your heart – how’s your passion right now? Is it fully directed toward the task to which you have been called to serve in The Kingdom of God? Or, do you find yourself a little passionless right now about your place in The Kingdom?
If we could understand and realize that even what we might think of as small things are actually of large importance in The Kingdom, surely our hearts would be healed, and our passion would rise to the tasks to which we have been called. May we each fully invest ourselves into our callings in The Kingdom. Let us not make ourselves unqualified through a lack of passion, or by a divided heart.
Shepherd Ambrose Ramsey
