Week 1 August 2025, Devotion Part 1

Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame… Go out…and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.  Luke 14:21-23

The Greek word “anagkazo” stands out famously in two N.T. passages the modern church dare neither miss nor dismiss. Its English equal is “compel” and the Latin roots are com, meaning “together,” and pellere, “to drive.” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructed His disciples, “If someone compels you to go one mile, go with him two miles” (Matthew 5:41). The “Go out… and compel people…” in Luke 14:23 is the punchline to a parable that Jesus told as dinner guest in the home of a prominent Pharisee.

The moment has come to consult an undisputed expert in the matter of “anagkazo” application, none other than the Australian shepherd. Despite that designation, the breed was developed in America as excellent herding and all-around ranch dogs. Even so, affectionately called Aussies, “they are brilliant, athletic, and excel at almost any dog sport…they enjoy hiking, jogging, intercepting frisbees, and mastering new skills.” Take the doggie genius that got hooked on math. He took a break from his new hobby when the farmer sent him out to bring the sheep home. “Hey,” he exclaimed, “I only have 39, but I see 40 in the pen.”  “Of course,” mumbled the dog to himself, “you did tell me to go round them up.” Jesus, our Good Shepherd was fully God, yet also fully man, and as such, He must have appreciated His sense of humor. It helped Him laugh off the antics of His Flock of Twelve with the occasional herd instinct of wily goats. The clergy who are true Christ-followers, are “compelled” to think of their parishioners as “the Sheep of His Pasture.”  What if our pastor now suddenly decided to round up the “brilliant and athletic” ones in the pews, especially those visibly chomping at the bits to “master new skills”? I am game, but told by my dentist not to catch frisbees.  Part 1 of 2

Comment: Like many Swiss, I’m trilingual, but not speaking “sheepish,” I can’t ask how it feels to have to run for your life with gung-ho hairy maniacs in hot pursuit.  Neither can we quiz the people of Christ’s parable what their response to being “compelled” might look like.  Would some warm up to the sense of being wanted “as is,” or make others panic at the thought of having some rug pulled out from under them?  It’s not too far a stretch if our homeless encampments come to mind.  How many individuals jump at the chance to move into nice housing, get healthcare, counseling, plus every other kind of assistance leading to gainful employment and stable relationships?  The mentally ill and addicts may prefer to stay put, but so do some of the plain lazy who love a handout and thus hate the hand offered to lift them into productive living.  Biblical parables both reveal and conceal aspects of a specific truth.  Would it help if we sat in on that dinner party at the scheming Pharisee’s home?  What sort of new sting were they plotting to discredit their Nazarene guest?  Did they wake up with egg on their face the next day?