The Governor
Ezek. 34:17-31
Are the rich to be judged for others being poor?
Photo by Marcus Wallis on Unsplash
As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats: Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, but you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture? When you drink of clear water, must you foul the rest with your feet? And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have fouled with your feet? Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide, I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken. I will make with them a covenant of peace and banish wild animals from the land, so that they may live in the wild and sleep in the woods securely. I will make them and the region around my hill a blessing; and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing. The trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase. They shall be secure on their soil; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke, and save them from the hands of those who enslaved them. They shall no more be plunder for the nations, nor shall the animals of the land devour them; they shall live in safety, and no one shall make them afraid. I will provide for them a splendid vegetation so that they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, and no longer suffer the insults of the nations. They shall know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord God. You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture and I am your God, says the Lord God. - Ezek. 34:17-31
If we examine the example the Lord gives Ezekiel, we gain insight into how God views us and our work on earth.
God begins with a simple message about consideration. Don't pollute so others can enjoy what you enjoy from the land and streams.
That makes sense, and it is easy to follow. But what about the next example he gives of the fat sheep and the lean sheep?
This one can be interpreted in many ways.
Those who have take more than they need, leaving less for the rest. We could easily argue that we don't do that. There is an abundance of food at markets and on shelves of pantries, so this is not an issue, right?
But what it points out is an attitude of deserving more.
It is a competitive world, we say, so we justify beating someone out for a promotion and using our extra money to buy something nice or travel.
What does that have to do with the poor? Surely God will not judge us harshly for our achievements.
But God says he will raise up a shepherd o watch over the sheep and feed them. Someone will be the governor to regulate the distribution of resources.
No one will be able to benefit more than any other.
But the governor needs to be just. It is easy to see in the example of a shepherd and sheep that the shepherd would not hoard food and keep it from the sheep. The shepherd cannot eat what the sheep eat. But when we try to reproduce this form of governance with human society, that governing fact falls apart.
When the governor eats the same food, drinks the same wine, and earns the same money as the ones governed, corruption sets in. I will save the best and keep the most for me, he says.
In order for God's structure of governance to work, the leader needs to be righteous, fair and just. Such a person given all that power is hard to find.
So maybe the solution to unfairness and inequity is not governance but compassion and love. If we all honestly care about one another, we will share what we have with those in need.
The trick is getting everyone to be so caring and loving.
That's what Jesus tried to do.
How are we doing with that?
More to come...
Great question. Catholics call this "examining one's conscience" which is recommended before going to confession. It is a good praccticce to keeps one in check to see if our behavior matches our professed values, as your question asks us to do! Thank you for this post, Bill.