Do your serve the people or save the profit?

John 10:1-10

Jesus said to his disciples, "Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he’s up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won’t follow a stranger’s voice but will scatter because they aren’t used to the sound of it.”

Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. “I’ll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.

Food for thought!

Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about!

Since last week, Jesus is using figures of speech and imagery language. Last week he said of himself, "I am the bread of life." Yesterday, he said: "I am the Good Shepherd." Today, he is saying: "I am the gate." And today's gospel adds, "Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about." So, what is it Jesus is teaching us this time?

Jesus is describing two kinds of people, two kinds of workers. One is good the other is bad worker. He draws the contrast between the good and the bad, the faithful and the unfaithful shepherd (workers). 

The difference between the good worker (shepherd) and the bad is this. A real shepherd is born to his task. The sheep (people) are his friends and his companions; and he knows all of them by name. But the false shepherd comes into the job, not as a calling, but as a means of making money. He is in it simply and solely for the pay he can get. He is in the job not by choice. He has no sense of the height and the responsibility of his task; he is only a hireling. 

Jesus' point is that the man or woman who works only for reward thinks only of money; the man or woman who works for love thinks of the people he is serving. In other words, a good worker is people driven, a bad worker is profit driven. 

Most of us are workers some where, what drives us, what comes first, people or profit? Are we in our job just for money or for serving God's people? Do we see ourselves as good workers (good shepherd, Jesus Christ) or not? Do we realize that if and when we serve well the people, the people reward us? That, if and when we put the people first the people and the Lord reward us abundantly?

Are you a people person or not? Is your business a people business? Do you put the people first, or you put the profit upfront? What is most important to you, serving the people or saving the profit?