Feed My Sheep--or Don't Call Yourself a Christian

One Sunday I preached a sermon on our responsibility to the poor. I ended the service with an eloquent prayer asking God to make us his hands. The prayer was so impressive most of the congregation echoed my "Amen." Although my words were beautiful, I soon discovered the deceitfulness of my heart.

As the last parishioner was shaking my hand at the door, a young woman walked up to the church. She hesitantly asked if I could help her with some food. I wish I could tell you my first reaction was to celebrate how God had answered my prayer. In truth, I had already forgotten my words. I was thinking about the dinner my wife was preparing and looking forward to an afternoon of relaxation.

The young woman's eyes filled with tears as she told me her children were going hungry. Guilt, rather than compassion, compelled me to find her some food. As she prepared to leave, she said, "You are really an answer to a prayer."

Only then did I remember the eloquent, but empty prayer I had prayed. I realized we had both been praying that morning. My prayer had been a prayer of self-righteousness, and her prayer had been humble and heartfelt. She had been seeking God while I sought to impress. She had hoped for an answer while I had expected none.

My prayers of self-righteousness always ended with "Amen." Once I had impressed God and anyone else who would listen, my work was done. I had received my reward. There was no need to listen for God's reply. Prayer was a one-way conversation. It was only when I was exposed as a fraud--when I was broken and confronted with my pride--that I heard the voice of God. Once I heard his voice, I became more interested in what God had to say to me than what I could say to God.

I worry that we in the church are not hearing what Jesus said. Pastors and churches expend 99 percent of their time and energy on eloquent preaching, theological indoctrination, and institutional maintenance. Our priorities are not the priorities of Jesus. He wanted to make certain Peter would feed and care for the sheep. He asked them to give them something to eat.

Jesus taught his disciples to say "Give us this day our daily bread" because finding enough to eat was a serious problem. Jesus was making clear the first priority in establishing the kingdom of God-basic human needs must be met. When the church fails to feed God's children, the church fails.

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