Don't be a Geep!

Imagine a green, lush pasture. In the pasture are many sheep and the loving Shepherd standing close by ready to lead and protect them. The sheep are very content.

Now imagine another pasture. This one's not as lush as the other. Lots of rocks in the ground and just patchy grass here and there. This pasture has lots of goats in it. And the keeper of the goats isn't paying much attention to them. Yet they follow him, listening to his lies about greener pastures and being led in one direction then another. “Always something better just over the hill,” he tells them. But that hill never comes. But they follow him anyway.

Dividing the two pastures is a white rail fence. It spans the circumference to the globe. As people travel this world, they make spiritual decisions, whether they are conscience of it or not. Some will make the commitment to Christ and become His sheep, abiding in the lush pasture, allowing Him to guide them on the paths that are best for them. Some will cling to this world, or the rocky land the goats are in. Once in a while, a sheep will venture out of its pasture and visit the goats. Some goats will return to the pasture changing from a goat to a sheep. Sometimes the opposite will happen. A sheep will embrace the world of the goat, before realizing just how good they had it when they resided in the pasture. Ever forgiving, the Shepherd welcomes the sheep back with wide open arms.

Then there are those who are what I term, “geeps”. They're a little bit sheep, a little bit goat. They follow Christ to a certain point, but all of their heart just isn't in it. They may think the Bible is out dated. They believe in Christ, but also like what the world has to offer. They go to church, but they also laugh at, then share a improper joke. They don't believe same sex marriage is immoral, but they'll put an offering in the collection plate. On Sunday they won't say anything that might offend someone, but the rest of the week they can make a sailor blush with their language.

In His letter to the church at Laodicea, Jesus tells them they are neither hot nor cold. He wishes they were one or the other. As He said in Matthew 6:24, “A man can not serve two masters. He will hate one and cling to the other or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.” Jesus was speaking of money in this passage, but I believe this is also true for those who “like” Jesus, but also likes the world just as much.

Either be a Child in Christ or a child of this world. Jesus doesn't want a fence rider. He wants you, completely and totally.