In my post Is He My Regulator, I talked about changing the way I blog. I’ve been having a different reaction or responding differently, if only in my thoughts, to other people’s blog. I am sharing many thoughts, and many I am not, so be thankful for that – lol. I was starting to consider that I’m getting out of hand, and though that’s not off the table, I’m not going to put it in the active cards pile at this moment. Come back tomorrow or next week, and it just might be in that active card pile.
I remembered my screen name and why I chose it for blogging in the first place. A sheepdog not only guides the sheep to green pastures and guides them back home again, but protects them from the wolves. I’ve been able to help guide many sheep to green or greener pastures for years. Now its time to more actively protect them from the wolves, or overly zealot Christians. Sometimes it can be tricky to decipher between the wolves and overly zealot Christians. Some are just Christians in different stages or processes of their walk and relationship with our Jehovah-Jirah. Some are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Some are sheep in wolves’ clothing.
Some years back we took the kids to a botanical garden. Very nice and enjoyable. There were several paths to choose from and each path had a plaque talking about the theme of that path – desert, tropical, rose gardens, vegetable garden, Japanese garden, etc. And there docents at the entrance of those path to answer questions or give guidance.
I was having one of my conversations with Our Shepherd sometime after that excursion and this is the gist of that conversation:
Our Shepherd: What if I wanted you to go down path one?
Me: OK, I would go.
Our Shepherd: What if I wanted someone else to go down a different path, say path 5?
Me: OK, hopefully they would go.
Our Shepherd: What if I have a purpose for each person I have travel one of those paths?
Me: Sure, sounds fine.
Our Shepherd: What if I just wanted someone to see the beauty and uniqueness on the path I told them to go on?
Me: Sounds like fun.
Our Shepherd: What if I told someone else to go on path 3 and pick up trash?
Me: You can tell whomever You want to do whatever You want.
Our Shepherd: So when I tell person 10 to go on path 7 and person 39 to go on path 2 and if you tell them both “No that’s not what Shepherd said.” because I told you to go on path 4 and weed around the flowers. And person 10 says, “No we are to pick up trash.” and person 39 says, “You both are wrong, we are just to enjoy looking at the plants, trees and flowers because He told me just to relax and enjoy myself because I don’t need to work so hard today. So you two are working when you don’t have to.” And you and person 10 start telling person 39 that they are having faith without works and its just not about having joy in the LORD and all the fun stuff of the Bible and going to church, because there’s work to be done. And Shepherd gave The Great Commission for a reason. And if there’s time to lean, there’s time to clean. What then?
Me: Ah, we all are right, because You are telling us different things for different reasons.
Our Shepherd: Now you’re getting it. Be patient with each other. And understanding, because you don’t always know what I’m doing or saying to others, because I don’t always tell you. Lean not unto your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Me and I will guide your paths or tell you which path to go on and what to do on that path.
Me: I have to share this with others.
Our Shepherd: Please do.
So, there you have it. Whenever I leave a comment, I try to come from this perspective. That’s there more than just one or two perspectives to see something from. And that we don’t always, or most often don’t, know what conversations someone else is having with Our Shepherd. We don’t usually know what shoes they have had to walk in. We don’t know how they processed the information and environment that they have been or currently are in. There are so many variables. Everyone needs mercy and grace and a certain amount of tolerance. Loving the sinner away from the sin. Telling the truth in love. Using tough love. All worthy things but not easy to know what to use, when. I’m sure I’m not at 100% exhibiting this objective mentality. We all get stuck in past thinking or believing whatever someone else says or just plain being selfish and immature. Many times, we see what we want to see or hear what we want to hear. Renewing our minds and not conforming to the trends around us is always on the to do list.
Any additional comments, questions or complaints…..you know the drill….
ladysheepdog 
Reblogged this on Citizen Tom and commented:
Lady Sheepdog has provided us something to think about.
Some years ago I wrote https://citizentom.com/2009/03/11/dismount-your-donkey-at-the-summit/, and I have not change my mind about what I wrote then. But it is worth observing that what word “path” means depends upon the context.
What does Lady Sheepdog mean by path? What is the path of Tao?How does meaning of the term “donkey” figure into that old post of mine?
Read Lady Sheepdog’s post and my old post, https://citizentom.com/2009/03/11/dismount-your-donkey-at-the-summit/. Compare and contrast the two. Then observe that the Bible provides Christians the doctrine that Jesus taught. Jesus provides Christians the way, the truth, and the life. Nevertheless, because He gives us different gifts and callings, our lives do not necessarily look the same. What matters is whether we are following, obeying and walking with Jesus, our Savior.
I think your post has really good points. And it refers to the path to Eternal Salvation and keeping ones self(by faith, accepting what Christ did on the cross) out of Hell in eternity, which I agree with what you said as the correct path or incorrect path as the email you received presented.
The path/paths, I’m referring to in this post are those of everyday decisions and happenings. For example – Should I work here or there? Do I get married? Should I share about Jesus to the person on my left or the person on my right or which one first? Should I read my Bible one hour a day or three? Should I give up smoking now or give up watching porn first? Should I write this post or that post. Do I leave this comment or that comment. And ultimately, its really about what does Jesus want me/us to do today. Also, the tolerance part is referring to tolerating what someone is doing that has little to do with right or wrong. Like, tolerating someone singing praise songs out loud because they are learning how to praise the LORD, and you would prefer being in a quiet room at the time or tolerating someone’s slow physical activity because they have cerebral palsy and can not move their body very fast. Tolerating someone wanting to not eat meat when you do or vice versa. Tolerating someone drinking one beer a week when you are being told by Our Shepherd to be a teetotaler or again, vice versa. Being tolerant of other Christians in their process of getting rid of sins as some have longer lists than others to go through and cross off items on that said list. Being merciful and understanding that it takes different people different times frames to conquer said sins. That’s all I’m saying.
Addressing blatant sins and those that are accepting those sins as ok, is another topic for a different post.
There are three words I think we need to consider: accountability, forbearance, and tolerance.
— We hold people accountable when they are clearly doing something wrong. Sometimes that involves legal action. Such involves lying, thievery, drunkenness, and the like.
— We forbear with speech or conduct which we regard as wrong but does not require us to disassociated ourselves from a person or group. If someone votes for the wrong person, we may find that reprehensible, but democracy is what it is.
— We tolerate speech or conduct we find unpleasant but does not require a moral sanction. If we did not tolerate the ignorance, the human race would soon disappear.
I agree.
Lady Sheepdog, your post is food for thought! Whilst I know that to be true, I’ve never given it much consideration. It’s easy to compare ourselves to others, or even judge others compared to our own journey of faith. But the Lord deals one-to-one with every believer. He is MY shepherd. He is YOUR shepherd. So we listen to what he is saying to us personally, which might not be what he is saying to someone else! And sometimes he just lets out a cry to all of us at once (the church), “Keep your eyes on me! I will guide you and protect you!” or words to that effect! 🙂
Absolutely
Tom. Ladysheepdog
Understanding if the path we choose is the right path requires spiritual wisdom.
Perhaps these following verses and thoughts may help us discern which tasks we should choose with our limitgied time on earth.
Enjoy Work and its Benefits = Ecclesiastes
2:24 There is nothing better for people than to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in their work. I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment comes from God.
2:25 For no one can eat and drink or experience joy apart from him.
2:26 For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth – only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile – like chasing the wind!
Or in other words, for Example. perhaps whether we have been blessed with a talent to create wealth, we should share the wealth to benefit the real needy as Josue taught us to love our neighbor.
And doing so serves to bring enjoyment instead of the futility King Solomon experienced when he wrote this verse.
Painful Days and Restless Nights
2:22 What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth?
2:23 For all day long his work produces pain and frustration, and even at night his mind cannot relax!
Sad, that many very rich people will unfortunately not believe this to be wise until they are near death same as King Solomon realized.
In other words, someone wrote this advice.
Idiom – Chose a job that you love and you will never work a day in your life
As for why there are different religions and culture in the world, in my opinion, I love the one my mother chose for us and sacrificed to pay tuition of .25 cents a week to a Christion Grammar school.
Regards and goodwill blo
Spiritual Wisdom, indeed. My prayer is for more Spiritual Wisdom for everyone. I believe we are doing our part to help accomplish that goal. Thanks for participating. If no one else does, I appreciate it.
Can we say that human behavior is designed as a stochastic bariable with social constraints? We walk in contention between self and society, perpetually forced to resolve contradictions …
I think many people are capable of saying that, though I think you meant to say stochastic variable, no? I appreciate the opportunity you gave me do some research in the quest of increasing my vocabulary. I personally doubt the design of human behavior is not that much of a stochastic variable, but its not off the table, as there is a high possibility that a small percentage(<20%) of it is, imo. I definitely see the contention between self and society and the forced opportunities to determine what contradictions are tolerable to oneself. Parents may should do that for their own or others' small children, but that may be a conversation for another blog. Here or there, it doesn't really matter to me where that conversation happens, fyi. Thanks for your thoughts. Stop by any time. Jesus' blessings on you and yours.