Many of us have seen the popular meme on social media that says, “Follow the shepherd, not the flock.” It’s meant, I believe, to indicate the flawed nature of humanity versus the perfect nature of Jesus, but it comes across as a declaration that Jesus does the holy things, while his followers are free to do what they want. It’s a cop out. The unintended message is that Jesus is perfect, we continue to sin, and God’s OK with that—he doesn’t expect us to change. So, if you want to be a Christian, ignore what Christ’s followers are doing and just look at him.
That’s a tempting guideline, and has some truth in it, so, many people are drawn to it. But it’s incomplete. It’s a half-truth at best. Throughout the Gospel, Jesus tells his followers that people will know them by their fruit (behavior). How they behave will tell people they are disciples of Jesus. Compare that to our contemporary version in which we tell people that we are Christians and to ignore how we behave.
Paul’s admonition in this week’s epistle passage affirms Jesus’ message about behavior. Even in devastating situations, such as the persecutions they faced, Christians are on display to the world. Their behavior is expected to be different from the rest of the world.
For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. 10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. 11 To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, 12 and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; 13 when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things. — 1 Cor 4:9–13 (ESV)
Paul rightly describes how Christians in his time behaved. People could be identified as followers of Jesus by the differences in their behavior from the rest of society. This is not a “woe is me” pity party; Paul is merely listing what many Christians faced. This difference in behaviors was noticed by the surrounding pagan society. Tertullian reported that the Romans would exclaim, “See how they love one another!”
Justin Martyr, one of the earliest writers about Christianity and one of the first known martyrs, wrote about Christian behavior as well: “We who used to value the acquisition of wealth and possessions more than anything else now bring what we have into a common fund and share it with anyone who needs it. We used to hate and destroy one another and refused to associate with people of another race or country. Now, because of Christ, we live together with such people and pray for our enemies.”
The last pagan emperor of Rome, Julian the Apostate, who reinstated persecution of Christians under his reign, recognized that Christian compassion was one cause behind the collapse of paganism and the exponential increase of Christianity. In a letter to a pagan priest, Julian wrote, “When it came about that the poor were neglected and overlooked by the [pagan] priests, then I think the impious Galileans [i.e., Christians] observed this fact and devoted themselves to philanthropy…. [They] support not only their poor, but ours as well, all men see that our people lack aid from us.” Julian proposed that pagan priests imitate the Christians’ charity in order to bring about a revival of paganism in the empire.
If people don’t see charitable, Christ-like behavior in us, we are not really followers of Jesus. We’re just fans. Jewish disciples chose to follow a particular rabbi based on how that rabbi lived the commandments. Their goal was not just to learn more about Scripture, but also to become like their rabbi when their apprenticeship was complete.
That should be our goal as well—that we would become like Jesus, not just learn some nice moral teachings from him. Jesus wants followers not fans. Paul confirms this in his plea to the Corinthians to imitate him.
I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. — 1 Cor 4:16–17
Notice that Paul does not say that they should ignore what he’s doing and focus on what has told them about Jesus. He instead is telling them to use his behavior as an example of how a disciple of Jesus should behave. He doesn’t say, “Follow the shepherd instead of the flock.”
The flock follows its shepherd. If it doesn’t, then it’s not really a flock; it’s a random gathering of stray sheep. If you are ever in a place with lots of shepherds and flocks (we saw this in Sicily a lot), flocks are able to pass by and even through each other with ease. The flocks each follow their shepherd. If we are truly following our shepherd, people can follow us and draw closer to Jesus.
Let’s live lives that draw others to Christ, and that they see him in all that we do.
Your Brother in Christ,
Fr. Austin