^{John 10:16-18}

16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

Born on June 3, 1906, Josephine Baker was a good shepherd sharing her type of gospel love. She is not recognized during Black History month because she gave up her US citizenship. To the people of France, she is an iconic woman of European history. Josephine was born in St Louis, Missouri. Her mother was very poor, and they were homeless a few times. At 15, she moved to New York to become an entertainer because she had talent as a singer and dancer. In 1929, she traveled to Europe to perform and became the first African American to visit Yugoslavia. The people of Paris, France, embraced her talent, so she began a career there. Even if her name is not part of mainstream conversation, other historical characters of her time knew her. Ernest Hemingway called her “the most sensational woman anyone ever saw. In 1937 she married a Frenchman. Becoming a French citizen was easy since she did not embrace America, nor did it embrace her. She began her civil rights movement with children from all over the world. Using her fame and wealth, Josephine adopted children of different ethnicities. She called her family of different races, ethnicities, and religions a rainbow tribe. Loving her rainbow tribe, Josephine said, Children of different colors could still be brothers and sisters. Everywhere she traveled, she took her children with her. Josephine Baker’s civil rights movement started with young children; since hate is taught at home, she teaches children to love everyone before the stubbornness of hate is planted inside a child’s heart. Baker raised two daughters, French-born Marianne and Moroccan-born Stellina, and 10 sons, Korean-born Jeannot (or Janot), Japanese-born Akio, Colombian-born Luis, Finnish-born Jari (now Jarry), French-born Jean-Claude and Noël, Israeli-born Moïse, Algerian-born Brahim, Ivorian-born Koffi, and Venezuelan-born Mara. Her personal love life was not so successful, she had a couple of marriages that didn’t work out, so her children were the love of her life. Josephine wasn’t religious, but good people still exist, even if they don’t worship the good shepherd. Jesus even said the evil world has good fathers and mothers, which Josephine Baker was. She shepherds little children and gives them a loving home and family. Many people ask the Lord for help; nothing wrong with that. Some people ask the church; nothing wrong with that either. Some people ask the government, but does anyone do anything for others themselves? Are you and I good shepherds to our community? Do we show the children of the world that they are loved? Don’t want others to do the job, be a good shepherd to others and a good shepherd to all made in the Lord’s image. Some people only focus on themselves or people of the same race, religion, gender, or ethnic group, but the commandment of love teaches that love is universal. May the Lord bless you. God loves you, and so do I. His bondservant, Samuel Jerry Head.

Luke 11:9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened. 11 Now which one of you fathers will his son ask for a fish, and instead of a fish, he will give him a snake? 12 Or he will even ask for an egg, and his father will give him a scorpion? 13 So if you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”