My Way
John 10.1-10
‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
Reflection
Free association is a funny thing. As I read this passage, I could hear Frank Sinatra singing
“My Way.” This song recounts a life lived to the fullest, one in which the protagonist always followed his own star. “My Way” is a great song and Sinatra’s rendition is memorable. But that doesn’t change the fact that this familiar entry in the American Song book is in many ways the antithesis of everything this passage is trying to tell us. The life of faith most definitely is not about doing things “my way” – it’s all about doing things God’s way. And to do that, we must submit, we must surrender, to the will of the One who made us.
The idea of submission, of surrender, is central to Christianity. It’s also one of the most challenging aspects of our faith. We like to be in charge, believing that is the way to freedom, but Jesus tells us that if we want to know true freedom we will let God take the lead. We think we know what’s best for us but Jesus reminds us that what we think is best can often lead us to destructive places and outcomes. We like to think we’ve got it all figured out, but all too often we’re in the dark. Fortunately, we are never alone.
As we move through this Lenten season, let’s give thanks for the shepherd who loves us as he leads us.
‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
Reflection
Free association is a funny thing. As I read this passage, I could hear Frank Sinatra singing
“My Way.” This song recounts a life lived to the fullest, one in which the protagonist always followed his own star. “My Way” is a great song and Sinatra’s rendition is memorable. But that doesn’t change the fact that this familiar entry in the American Song book is in many ways the antithesis of everything this passage is trying to tell us. The life of faith most definitely is not about doing things “my way” – it’s all about doing things God’s way. And to do that, we must submit, we must surrender, to the will of the One who made us.
The idea of submission, of surrender, is central to Christianity. It’s also one of the most challenging aspects of our faith. We like to be in charge, believing that is the way to freedom, but Jesus tells us that if we want to know true freedom we will let God take the lead. We think we know what’s best for us but Jesus reminds us that what we think is best can often lead us to destructive places and outcomes. We like to think we’ve got it all figured out, but all too often we’re in the dark. Fortunately, we are never alone.
As we move through this Lenten season, let’s give thanks for the shepherd who loves us as he leads us.
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