Photo by Eradio Valverde, Jr. at the San Antonio Zoo of a goat being combed by Liam Vasquez
But I Want to Be a Lamb!
From Psalm 23: 1 The LORD is my shepherd ; I shall not want . 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: heleadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies : thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever .
Ninety-eight percent of the churches in the Rio Grande Conference are named El Buen Pastor (The Good Shepherd). Okay, I'm stretching it a bit, but it is in the top three at number one. Followed closely by La Trinidad and El Divino Redentor. (Trinity and The Divine Redeemer). The Good Shepherd is a great name for a church for in it is found the beginnings of what has to be the number one psalm. If nothing else, those first five words in King James version are what gets the attention of those people who know and need this psalm. If we say it we must mean it; God is our shepherd and that should make me His lamb. Yet in Matthew 25:32 we find these words, "as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats" which describes that those who were obedient are sheep and those not obedient and loving are goats; this my title, sometimes I can be a goat. Don't laugh; you can too!
This psalm is a declaration and affirmation of faith; If we make God our shepherd, God is a good shepherd for provides for all our needs. Most of us have been in a hospital bed or besides one, and we have read or heard read to us this awesome psalm. God calms us with His loving assurance: All that you need I can provide. The psalm covers the scope of most of our needs; food, rest, guidance, and that on the right path, protection and peace during days that seem like they'll never end and if they do it might mean certain death, a call to not be afraid, a celebration in front of those people and things that sought to bring us down, and a promise of a place to live for all eternity. How then, can we sometimes let ourselves become goats? Goats are self-centered people who do not care about the needs of others. They open the door for themselves and walk in without holding it for the person right behind them; they hear of people needing blankets or heaters for the cold and don't contribute and don't care. They hear the church's plea for food for the food pantry and they mutter, "Get a job!" and drive home without remorse for those children who die from malnutrition or hunger, yes, even here in the USA. They throw out their clothing or sell them in a garage sale or a rummage sale and don't think about giving it away to those who do not have. Yes, these are smelly goats. I do not want to be one. I want to be a lamb, one who loves and cares enough to be like the Good Shepherd.
It's our choice for our life. Why not choose and ask God to make us all lambs. Sorry, goats, Jesus made that distinction in Rev. we didn't. (Yes, some goats are cute like the one in this photo I took last week, but spiritually we don't want to be cute goats!)
PRAYER: Loving God, forgive me those times I have been a goat; make me a lamb. Help me to care for others with the love you cared enough to give to me. This I pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord, you precious lamb you!
Eradio Valverde
