The Shepherd's Call #1216

The Shepherd's Call (The Perils of Hypocrisy) Timeless echoes, Jesus spoke, a warning clear as morning light. To those who guard the sacred gates with rules and rituals, he called them hypocrites, their barriers cruel, their hearts hollow. Proselytizers cross the seas, not seeking lost sheep but hunting noble trophies to pin to their walls— new souls shackled by dogma, burdened with doctrines that shroud true grace. Beware the false shepherds who preach love from golden thrones but bar the gates to paradise, thick with exclusion, a web spun from piety’s guise and hollow words. They offer a counterfeit coin, faith wrapped in empty practice, devoid of warmth and love, leading the weary astray. Seek not their narrow roads, for true grace beckons from paths unguarded by chains of rigid creed. In each heart lies the key— love unlocks the gates, compassion breaks the chains, and there lies the kingdom, the shepherd’s call, the voice that speaks through time and darkness: "Enter, all who seek." Written by Steven G. Lee (May 7, 2024)