WE have a great pair of readings today. In an earlier version of Paul’s Letters, this Chapter 14 said,
“No one lives as is own master. No one dies as his own master. While we live we are responsible to the Lord. When we die, we die as his servants. Both in life and death, we are the Lords.”
I memorized that years ago, but I have never forced myself to accept it. Most people can’t.
Once a Seventh Grade girl interrupted our Religion class to say, “I don’t like the church telling me how to live. It’s my life; and I can do what I want with it.”
That was a shocking thing to say, but we all act as though we think the same way.
In time, though, after we have made a mess of things, we will come to pay for our pride by falling into a spell of helplessness.
If you have to identify with that, you will then come around to appreciating your Master, your Shepherd. Because, it won’t matter how far you have strayed, he will find you, bringing you home on his shoulder.