The proper gate

 Sometimes I am amazed at how much energy people use to get around the rules. Students spend more time thinking of ways to get out of something, around something, or finding an easy way to copy. John 10:1-2 states: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.” John presents two kinds of spiritual leadership. Jesus is the shepherd because he enters through the proper gate. A gate makes walking through easy to get to the sheep. Yet there is another kind of leader. One who tries to jump the fence or get in without using a proper gate. You can’t just spout scripture as a way to enter through the gate. You need to have a deep and abiding personal relationship with God. The gate makes getting into a sheep pen easy, but getting to the gate and opening it is not as easy for some. Today, stand at the gate, open it, and walk through to gather with the sheep. The shepherd is calling you to join the fold on the path...