The Lord Is Our Shepherd: Learning to Serve, Trust, and Stop Comparing
Today’s readings teach us about caring for others, trusting God, and being grateful for what God gives us instead of comparing ourselves with other people.
God is our true Shepherd. He cares for His people, searches for those who are lost, and gives generously according to His wisdom. At the same time, He calls us to care for one another and not use people for our own benefit.
Ezekiel 34:1–11 — Care for the Sheep
In Ezekiel, God speaks strongly against the shepherds of Israel. These shepherds were the leaders who were supposed to take care of God's people.
Instead, they cared more about themselves.
They enjoyed the benefits of being leaders but neglected the weak, the sick, the injured, and those who had wandered away.
God says:
“I myself will search for my sheep.” — Ezekiel 34:11
This teaches us something very important about leadership and Christian life.
We should not use other people for our own benefit.
If God has placed someone in our care, we should help them, guide them, and treat them with love and respect.
This does not apply only to priests or Church leaders. It can apply to parents, teachers, employers, catechists, ministry leaders, and even friends.
If someone is struggling in their faith, we should not immediately condemn them. We can encourage them and gently guide them back toward Christ.
We should also be careful when speaking about God's Word. We should never twist God's teachings simply to make them fit what we personally want to believe.
Jesus shows us what true leadership looks like. He says:
“I am the good shepherd.” — John 10:11
Jesus does not use His sheep. He gives His life for them.
That is the kind of love Christians are called to imitate.
Psalm 22(23) — The Lord Is My Shepherd
Psalm 23 gives us one of the most comforting images of God in Scripture:
“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”
God knows what we truly need.
This does not mean that following God guarantees an easy life, wealth, success, or everything we ask for.
The Psalm itself speaks about walking through a dark valley.
There will still be difficulties, disappointments, suffering, and moments when we do not understand what God is doing.
But the important thing is this:
God walks with us through the valley.
He does not promise that we will never enter difficult places. He promises that we do not have to walk through them alone.
God also guides us along the right path.
Sometimes we may want to go in one direction, but God leads us somewhere else. We may not understand His plan immediately.
This is where trust becomes important.
The Catechism teaches:
“Jesus asks for childlike abandonment to the providence of our heavenly Father.” — CCC 305
We can therefore pray:
“Lord, I don't understand where You are leading me, but I trust that You know the way.”
Matthew 20:1–16 — Why Are We Jealous of God's Generosity?
In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the workers in the vineyard.
Some workers started early in the morning.
Others started later.
Some came very late in the day.
But when it was time to receive their wages, the landowner gave them the same amount.
The workers who had worked all day became unhappy.
They thought:
“We worked longer. Why should they receive the same as us?”
This is something we can easily understand because sometimes we think the same way.
We may work very hard and then see someone who seems to have worked much less receive the same reward—or perhaps even something better.
Then jealousy enters our hearts.
We might even ask God:
“Why did You give that person so much? What about me?”
But the landowner says:
“Why be envious because I am generous?” — Matthew 20:15
God's generosity toward another person does not mean that God has forgotten us.
The workers who started early were not cheated. They received what had been promised to them.
Their problem began when they started comparing themselves with the others.
And we can do exactly the same thing.
Sometimes we are perfectly happy with what God has given us—until we see what somebody else has.
Then gratitude becomes jealousy.
God's Grace Is a Gift
We must remember that God's grace is not something we earn like a salary.
The Catechism teaches:
“Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us.” — CCC 1996
God is generous and just.
He loves every person, but this does not mean that everyone receives exactly the same gifts, opportunities, responsibilities, or circumstances.
God knows each person's heart and journey better than we do.
Someone may follow Christ faithfully for many years.
Another person may turn to Christ very late in life.
Should we become angry because God welcomes that person?
No.
We should rejoice!
Instead of saying:
“Why should they receive God's mercy after everything they have done?”
we should say:
“Thank God! Another lost sheep has returned home.”
God's mercy toward another person does not reduce His mercy toward us.
There is enough grace for everyone.
Stop Comparing and Start Thanking God
These readings challenge us to look at our own hearts.
Sometimes our problem is not that God has given us too little.
Our problem is that we are looking too much at what He has given somebody else.
We compare our jobs.
We compare our money.
We compare our families.
We compare our talents.
We may even compare our spiritual lives.
But God has a different journey for each person.
Instead of asking:
“Lord, why did You give them that?”
perhaps we should ask:
“Lord, what do You want me to do with what You have given me?”
That changes everything.
What Can We Learn From Today's Readings?
From Ezekiel, we learn:
Don't use people. Serve them. Help those who are weak and guide those who are lost.
From Psalm 23, we learn:
Trust the Shepherd. Even when the road becomes dark, God is still walking beside us.
From Matthew, we learn:
Stop comparing God's blessings. God is generous, and we should rejoice when He is generous toward others.
The Lord is our Shepherd.
He knows His sheep.
He knows what we need.
He knows where He is leading us.
Our responsibility is to trust Him, follow Him, care for one another, and be grateful for His grace.
Reflection Questions
Do I become jealous when someone receives something good?
Do I compare my blessings with the blessings of other people?
Can I genuinely thank God when He blesses someone else?
When someone is struggling or weak in faith, do I help them or judge them?
Do I use the responsibilities God has given me to serve others?
Do I trust God when He leads me somewhere I do not understand?
Instead of asking God, “Why did You give them more?”, can I learn to ask, “Lord, what do You want me to do with what You have given me?”
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
You are our Shepherd, and You know everything we need.
Teach us to trust You even when we do not understand where You are leading us.
Help us to care for those who are weak, lost, lonely, or in need. Keep us from using others for our own benefit and teach us to serve as Jesus served.
Remove jealousy and comparison from our hearts. Help us to be thankful for what You have given us and to rejoice when You bless others.
Lead us along the right path and help us always to follow Jesus, our Good Shepherd.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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