It Takes a Thief

Dear Sutton and Savannah, 

Being honest with yourself, about yourself, is hard work. At least it has been for me. But I believe it is the beginning of wisdom and peace.

-Dad

Inside Out Lectionary Letters

Year A - 4th Sunday of Easter (Texts, Art, Hymns)

Readings for Sunday, April 26, 2026

Acts 2:42-47 / Psalm 23 / 1 Peter 2:19-25 / John 10:1-10

Summary of John 10:1-10

Jesus uses the imagery of a shepherd and a flock of sheep to teach his disciples and to confront the Pharisees.

Scripture as a Mirror of the Soul

I didn’t grow up in a herding culture. I’ve never lived on a farm. Other than household pets, I’ve had very little exposure to animals. However, the story provides the central point; there is a difference between how the shepherd interacts with a sheep and how a thief acts with the sheep. We quickly conclude that the relationship of the shepherd to the sheep is good and the relationship of the thief to the sheep is not good.

When this story is taken as a teaching on the inner life, this passage provides powerful instruction with disturbing implications.

Who is the thief? Our natural tendancy is to externalize the story. The thief represents the Pharisees of course! We vilify the Pharisees and remain blissfully unconscious of the inner work that waits for our attention. But what if the thief is part of us, part of me. This, then, becomes a story about the soul.

The thief operates out of greed. Or fear. Or anger. It represents that inner space in all of us that compares ourselves to others and believes we have been wronged or treated unjustly. It wants to make things right by retribution. We hatch plans in darkness, knowing that they won’t stand up to the light of day. We are afraid there are not enough resources to go around and use that to justify our shortcuts, schemes and selfish plans.

However, all the other parts of the self know that the voice of the thief is not the one that leads to green pastures or still waters. There is an inner tug of war.

The inner thief needs to be faced, and heard. It’s pain, or frustration, or anxiety is real. When ignored it can become as ferocious as a wolf, or as frightened as a hired hand. But when heard, it speaks of our insecurity, desperation and pain. The divine voice within can then create space for healing and restoration. And the other parts of ourselves can rest.