³ Now go; I’m sending you out like lambs among wolves. (Luke 10:3 CSB)

Christ was not saying this to infer that the Apostles were or should be timid. No, He said this because He knew what they would face bringing His message to the world.

Nothing has changed. The world hated Christ first and continues to be adversarial to the message.

Possibly, then only thing that has changed is that alongside of a direct adversarial front we now also battle a more insidious front against truth and values. The old battle lines have been redrawn and we must be more attuned to this new, and possibly more difficult, confrontation.

If you are in doubt about this consider the loosening of what we would typically consider a strong moral compass. Typical underlying values have been eroded and everything questioned. We have taken the very basic lines of what is self evident and called it into question. If feels as if we are often debating the color of the sky.

This is why I believe Christians must, more than ever, take on the persona of the Sheepdog. While the sheep do not want to be herded, the Sheepdog must remain vigilant against both the wolves and continue to move the sheep toward the right direction.

Many would say though, “how is it we think we know the right direction!”

Well, if I as a Christian know one thing, is that Christ message of “the way, the truth and the life” is one of grace, mercy and love. How can this be wrong?