"Feed My Lambs"—"Feed My Sheep."
By S. H. Carnahan
WHEN Jesus gave the command to Peter, "Feed My lambs," "feed My sheep," He first asked him, "Lovest thou Me?" In order that we might be qualified to care for and feed the flock, the children of Christ, we must first have a deep and abiding love for Him and His truth, else our endeavors will end in failure. His disciples were admonished, "Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." So now, we should study at His sanctuary until we receive the unction of the Holy Spirit. One writer has said that God does not call a person to work until he is ready to go. This means that the person must have a practical knowledge of the principles of the eternal truths, so that he can teach and exemplify them to the people. The Character of the Food.
What are the overseers of the flocks, the guardians of the children of God, to feed those under their care? In the case of the animals, the owners or herders have to provide only temporal or physical food and shelter and protect them from the onslaught of beasts of prey; but the church-workers and godly parents must not only shield each other and those in their charge from the snares of Satan, false teachers, and profane men, but also see that they are furnished with both temporal, or physical, and eternal, or spiritual, food. Destroyed for Lack of Knowledge.
Even as famine for physical food causes the temporal death of many, so "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge," says the Lord. Hosea 4:6. A German proverb says, "As a man eateth, so is he." And Solomon says, "As he thinketh in his heart, so is he." Prov. 23:7. It is a demonstrated fact that stimulating and irritating foods produce in the users desire for strong drinks, tobacco, etc. An improper use of even wholesome foods causes gluttony and disease. Likewise, light and trashy reading or talking affects people's minds so that they can not so well appreciate sound, sensible matter. Persons may listen to, and think upon, fables and infidel teachings until they will not "endure sound doctrine." 2 Tim. 4:3, 4. Those who read the word of God with the view of criticizing and opposing it, bring upon themselves moral dyspepsia and death. Therefore, how concerned we who know these important principles should be in seeing to it that we indeed properly feed the lambs and sheep of the Lord's flock. The lambs—the babes in God's household—should be fed upon the sincere milk of the word, and the sheep, or older members, be given strong meat—sound doctrines—for spiritual food. And all should be taught thru the instruction of God's Spirit and word the proper use of wholesome physical foods, that they may build up healthful and temperate physical bodies, which are more conducive to intellectual and spiritual growth and happiness.