Harvest

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:36-38)

When I read these verses this morning, my first thought was, "We live in an age of sheep without shepherds."

My second thought was, "We live in an age of bad shepherds."

All ages in history have had their bad shepherds, of course, and I suppose this age is no different. But it certainly feels different now, compared to 40, 20, even 5 years ago.

No, I'm not going to get started on politics. I think we all know that there are plenty of bad shepherds, some of them quite powerful, on both sides. And I think there are plenty of bad shepherds in the church itself. (See the documentary American Gospel; see also Alisa Childers's new book, Another Gospel?)

Some Questions to Consider

Thinking about the harvest, and my role in it, I find myself asking questions. Sometimes I find myself questioning the questions. Maybe you’ve done the same thing?

For instance: What if you view yourself as one of the harvesters ... but you're really one of the harvest? Or to switch back to the sheep metaphor: What if you're a sheep who thinks it's in a good place ... but is really lost?

Or this: How do you know if your confidence in your role or your shepherd--in your own salvation--is misplaced? I mean, if you're confident about it, why question it, right? And if someone suggests you're wrong ... watch out! Right?

And this: How do you harvest those who don't want to be harvested? What do you do when you think you find a fellow harvester, but they're preaching the wrong gospel?

What if you're a bad shepherd and don't realize it?

I know these questions might seem a little "out there," a bit of philosophical brain-fun. But I think they are vitally important because, ultimately, this is eternity we're talking about. So how do we self-correct? How do we back up and take an objective view of something we've dived into, heart and soul, and are now sharing with others?

A Couple of Answers?

I can think of two things: God's Word, and God's people.

I believe God's Word, the Bible, is the best resource for knowing what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil, what is just and what is unjust. But to know these things, it's important to be intimate with the Word, to know it. And knowing it requires studying it, drinking deeply from it, spending time, day after day.

And then there are God's people, those who know and love and follow God's Word. Those who continue to study it and learn from it. Those are the people we want to be around. Those are the ones we should listen to when they suggest that we're getting off track.

Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. (Psalm 141:5)

A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool. (Proverbs 17:10)

The fields are ripe for harvest and the harvest is plentiful, and we are called to go into those fields. But it's important to know how to use the tools, and to know what we're harvesting for. And we need to remain in the Word, and in the company of those who know it well and believe it fully.

Dang. I think I just wrote a mini-sermon.

A Couple of Recommendations, and a Calling(?)

Anyway, these kinds of thoughts have been on my mind lately. It was by chance that I stumbled upon American Gospel last week. It's less by chance that I'm reading Another Gospel?, the new book by apologist and podcaster Alisa Childers. I pre-ordered that one several months ago and signed up for a book group with Theology Mom almost as soon as she made it available. I've also signed up for a course with Theology Mom on hermeneutics next spring.

I want to know God's word. I want to share it, but I want to be able to stand on what I'm sharing; I don’t want my foundation to crumble as it did 30 years ago. I also want to be able to see where perhaps the bad shepherds out there are leading others astray, and to identify where people are being misled. And maybe to help bring them back.

I've been waiting for God to guide me on just what he wants me to do. Maybe this is part of it.
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On a less serious note: One of our harvest traditions is to go to the Eliada Corn Maze in Asheville, NC. Here is Scout in 2016, buried in corn!