Sheep Going Astray

“W hen he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray. ”

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalm 23

It's everybody's favorite psalm. Why? It's so comforting. We are sheep, like furry helpless animals that are not the sharpest knife in the drawer, whose meat is the favorite of several carnivores. We need protection against the lions, wolves, hyenas, and sheep rustlers. Without a good shepherd, we're in for it. In a panic situation, we're as likely to run toward death as away from it. Or just stay stock still until it's too late.

This week a horrible massacre at Virginia Tech held the attention of a nation already shell shocked by many massacres. Senseless killing causes our minds to go blank. We can't see through it. We can hardly prepare for it. If somebody gets that crazy, and arms himself, we have little defense. Someone is bound to die. 32 young people and professors lay dead at the feet of a poor young Korean student who had lost his way so that violence made sense to him.

But in the aftermath of that terrible day, I looked for any story where I could hear about a hero, a shepherd and not just slaughtered sheep. We need to hear about such shepherds at times, because our very sense of justice, of safety demands that shepherds are there also. We need to know that. I needed to know that, and I found him, and I feel it imperative to celebrate his deed.

A survivor of the Nazi holocaust, a Romanian Jew, Professor Liviu Librescu, instructor in aeronautic and oceanic engineering at Virginia Tech, was teaching in his classroom in Norris Hall when the sounds of gunfire came from next door. This teacher had survived Adolph Hitler and Nicolae Ceausescu, finally resettling in Israel with his wife in 1978. He moved to Virginia in 1986, working at one time for NASA. He lived 76 years through all of that so he might die saving the lives of American students.

As the shots rang out, Librescu ran toward the gunfire, shutting the door of his classroom and barring it with his body, as he ordered his students to jump from the windows. They did so, landing ten feet below on grass and shrubbery. But the engineering professor met the gunman at the door and denied him entrance as his students fled. He was the only person shot in that classroom, and he died to save all his students.

“It wasn't like an automatic weapon, but it was a steady 'pow,' 'pow,' 'pow,' 'pow,'” reported student Richard Mallalieu, 23. “We didn't know what to do at first.” Alec Calhoun, 20, said the last thing he saw before he jumped from the window was Librescu, blocking the door against the madman in the hallway. He died to save the students.

We didn't know what to do : the honest testimony of a sheep. At times when horror or danger or the unknown loom near us, we can be at a total loss for direction, can't think clearly, haven't a clue. We freeze. High stress does strange things to our minds, as heart rates elevate, blood pressures rise or drop, vision blurs or becomes strangely acute, hearing gets vague, time compresses and we feel we are moving through jello. The danger moves faster than we can think, and in no time it is upon us.

If you've ever been in a car accident, unable to avoid a collision, you know that time and your experience do funny things. Most people are completely helpless until it's over. God compares us to sheep at such times, and it's an apt comparison.

But He does provide us with shepherds. There are just a few, scattered among us, and they may not look or sound like it at normal times. They might carry guns, as the police are forced to do by a violent minority, for our sakes. Or they may be just like the diminutive professor Librescu, drawing math symbols on a whiteboard and wearing a shirt and tie, tweed sports coat, Hush Puppies, corduroys, old leather briefcase. Who would think there was a ferocious sheepdog in that mild image? But God provides such astounding people for us, heroes we would least expect to rise at such moments and save our lives. I honor him today.

We are certainly sheep, but among us rise those who see the slaughter, who recognize the danger, and do something. This Friday I met Ambassador Tony Hall, who came to speak at the Jesus Center Banquet and stayed for breakfast. Three times nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, US Ambassador Tony P. Hall is one of the leading advocates for hunger relief programs and improving international human rights conditions in the world. In February 2002, President George W. Bush asked him to serve as the US Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture. Ambassador Hall is responsible for “putting into action America's commitment to alleviate hunger and build hope in the world.”

He says 25,000 who will die every day due to hunger, but caused by political corruption, drought, civil war, economic forces. There's enough food if it were distributed evenly, but a lack of will to make it so kills people. Hall is a shepherd to the poorest of the poor, a Democrat nominated by President George W. Bush to head up this project and face hunger worldwide with passion and an abiding faith in Jesus Christ. Recently visiting a Moslem nation, Hall told us he was warned by the US Ambassador there not to speak of Jesus, for in doing so he would destroy years of statesmanship and threaten the American mission. So he met the 2 nd most powerful man in the country, the president of their Senate, who after a while asked him why he'd come. “To invite you and your leaders to the Presidential Prayer Breakfast in Washington this February where we gather around the person of Jesus.” “Jesus!” cried the Moslem leader. “We never hear enough about Jesus! I want to know about him; could you please tell me?” Then turning to the US Ambassador, he said, “Why don't you ever talk to me about Jesus?”

A shepherd sacrifices his own self-interest for his sheep, doesn't think about saving himself, saving face, his ego, reputation. A prophet of Israel told its evil king, Ahab, that he would die in battle. “I saw all Israel Scattered on the mountains, Like sheep which have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace.'” 1 Kings 22:17 King David sang, “For Thy sake we are killed all day long; We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” Psalm 44:22 But “He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.” Psalm 95:7 Isaiah declared of Jesus, “All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.” Isaiah 53:6-7

Jesus died like a sheep, but as a good shepherd. He died in our place, though He is the Lion of Judah. He put our salvation in front of His need for life and peace, and now He calls us to join Him. We do, as sheep led by our shepherd's voice. He tells us, “The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hireling, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, beholds the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees, and the wolf snatches them, and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling, and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me.” John 10:10-14

We need such a shepherd, and we need those who will stand in that door, blocking the thief, the robber, the wolf with his own life to save us. Some of us never know it is our place to save others until the moment comes. Some are called and know their duty, are warriors in truth and bear the sword for us. But our God is a warrior also, and a good shepherd, and it's good to know that our God is fiercely jealous for us, defends us, guards us and watches over us. “Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs, And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead those with young.” Isaiah 40:11

This is why St. Peter says it's “ thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.” 1 Peter 2:19 “When ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” He quotes generously from Isaiah, understanding the words of the ancient prophet. How many generations have wandered in disbelief and unknowing, repudiating the truth of Jesus Christ and yet not finding anyone who would stand and save them? We are but sheep, in truth, and our problems lie with our waywardness. If we don't know we are in danger, our pride would tell us to wander off, go find greener grass, live a little.

But the figure of a man on a cross calls us to order. There is danger, and One did face it for me, for you, and He had to die. He is alive, beyond that awful day, and has built us mansions, created us a kingdom, called us to His Church, and safety in Him. “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” 1 Peter 2

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