Care and Neglect

One of the lessons of life growing up is things of value can be cared for or neglected. Parents are heard to say, “You really must take better care of your things.” I remember the question, “David, did you put your bicycle away or is it still sitting outside?” As you grow up, you are given more and more responsibility. Taking care of your things expands to taking care of your place in the family, your chores, your relationships. Let us not forget the care of ourselves. My parents often asked us whether we had done our studies. That had to do with school homework, of course, but my dad always called them studies.

If you care, then you take care. It is about an emotional disposition and a corresponding pattern of actions. If we recognize the worth of a thing, we care for it. We have the choice: conscientious care, or careless neglect. There is a concept of care in the writings of the Bible seen in ancient texts, the Book of Numbers (27:17). It is employed over and over in the Hebrew Prophets: 1 Kings 22:17, Ezekiel 34:5, Zechariah 10:2. It is the metaphor of the people of God, being like sheep scattered without a shepherd to care for them.

A notable passage not mentioned above is our first lesson in the liturgy this Sunday. In this passage, the Lord is speaking about God’s pasture, his own people; God’s own sheep, valued and loved. God is declaring that his people are endangered because the shepherds do not care:

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. Then I, myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:1-4)

To keep sheep protected they need to be herded, gathered, not left to scatter. Risk to their wellbeing rises as they scatter. The echoes of this accusation of God concerning negligent shepherds are in the air then as we hear from Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. When Jesus and his disciples are rowing in the Sea of Galilee to take some rest in a lonely, quiet place apart, they are surprised to find a large crowd of people seeking to gather around Jesus and his followers has beaten them to the spot. The only respite and calm the disciples get is the boat ride. These sheep need a shepherd, and in Jesus, they find a compassionate one. Listen for these verses from the Gospel as you gather for worship this Sunday:

As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. 

[Then later] When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed. (Mark 6:34, 53-56)

Notice first verse 34: there we find a shepherd with a compassionate heart, he wants to shepherd them, so he teaches them. He then feeds the multitude, which is not noted in the passage above but is part of the story in verses 35-43. Then notice how active he is, pouring himself out with the crowds in Gennesaret. Many are healed just by touching his garment.

I feel these passages from Jeremiah and Mark are teaching us we are sheep in need of a Good Shepherd. We need the care of God. We need to avoid the negligent ones who are posing as shepherds. I feel we are also being coached into letting God cultivate within us caring hearts and wills, responsive to people God sends into our care. Often neglect occurs not intentionally but by our lack of focus. The Good Shepherd is here with rod and staff to steer us away from neglect, and toward caring, responsive action.

God delights in you, the Shepherd’s love for you is beyond what you can imagine. Just one touch will begin the healing you need. One part of that healing is the warm heart of care the Healer grows within you, to make of you a shepherd among God’s beloved flock. Good people do take care.