"Tend My Sheep"

 

What if your sheep don't want to be tended?

As a Lyft driver one of the most perplexing problems I see as I drive around is the problem of the homeless.  The reason I find it so perplexing is that there are so many jobs available that just about anyone can get hired right now.  I realize that some of the homeless have substance abuse problems and/or mental illness and they just can't work.  I get that.  But there are many others who still appear strong and healthy.  What is stopping them?

I see some of these people out on the street corner day after day, almost as if it is a chosen lifestyle.  Those are the people that come to mind when I ask the question, what if they don't want to be tended?  Some of these people work harder at begging than they would ever work in a factory job for example.  So why do they choose to keep begging? 

It occurs to me that we should pray for those who don't want to be tended and help those who do want to be helped. 

But even within the group of those who want to be helped, many don't truly want to be helped; they simply want to be fed and cared for.  Is that why Jesus used the specific word "tended", almost like tending cattle? 

Hmm, I hadn't thought of that until just now. 

Sad but something to ponder!

Now let me throw something else out there.  In other Scripture Jesus says that only those who hear His voice (meaning follow Him) are actually His sheep.  So in this context is Jesus telling the disciples to feed and tend just those who follow Jesus or is Jesus telling them to feed and tend everyone?

Hmm?