Sheep are
not ranked among the most highly respected and honored animals, in fact they
are among the least respected . Lions, horses, tigers, wolves, eagles, elephants,
whales, dogs and even snakes are all some examples of animals that hold some
distinction of being respected. In fact, even the cow is considered holy and
respected in some countries, yet sheep continue to remain off that list.
That being
said, sheep are used throughout the Bible hundreds of times to symbolically refer to God's people. Jesus even calls His followers His sheep and refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd.
Now thinking of Jesus as our shepherd is comforting and loving, but thinking of us as sheep is not as appealing. However it doesn't really matter
if we like the analogy to us as sheep or not, it is what God used, and believe
it or not He used it for a reason and like or not we are very similar to sheep.
Sheep don’t like
to be confined and want to use their free will to do what they wish. They rebel against the fences that hold them in their pens and
are intended to keep them safe. Think of the image of counting the sheep jumping the fence that we often use for sleep. We are like that. We are stubborn and independent,
wanting to use our own free will, fighting the restraints and guidelines set
for us. We complain about the ones we don’t agree with regardless if we know
that the rules will help keep us safe.
Sheep are
wayward creatures that not only rebel against fences but continually try to
wander off their own way. They must be constantly watched and herded back to where
they should be. We all act like sheep from time to time, and God has to come
and herd us back to Him. In Isaiah 53:6 it says “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned
to his own way”.
Sheep are
fairly helpless creatures and vulnerable meaning left unattended and to their own
devices would become lost in the field and be devoured by a predator. Without
God’s love, protection, care and guidance, we would have no purpose and
direction and would find ourselves lost in the sinful world where
Satan is waiting to snatch us up.
Sheep are
dim-witted, foolish and difficult to train requiring patience, love and at times
the rod to teach them where to go and what to do. We are difficult to train, even
in the simplest lessons we pretend to have all the answers. God repeatedly has to
discipline and train us on the ways of right and wrong.
And last but certainly not least is not so much about the sheep as it is the way they are herded. When sheep are led into or out of a pen, there is always only one gate, one way for the sheep to enter safety as well as only way to enter the pastures to eat. In John 10: 7-9, Jesus says "I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture." This gate is not only to give us protection and provide us with rest, and nourishment, but also life period. It is the sheep analogy version of John 14:6 ("I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.")
A shepherd’s responsibility
is to control, teach, maintain and protect the sheep in the hostile
surroundings. The shepherd takes on the responsibility of providing all that is
needed in the sheep’s life. The sheep do not decide based upon something that
is wanted, but the shepherd always decides what is needed or lacking. Just like the
sheep, should not decide what it is that we want for our life base on our wants,
but we should look to God to provide us with our needs and seek to follow His
will, not our own.
Can anyone be
our shepherd though? NO
In John
10:11-18, He says “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life
for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep.
So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the
wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired
hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me just as the Father knows me and I know the Father and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” Only God can be our shepherd and thankfully He is amazing at it and perfect. Just as the verse says, He has laid down His life for us in Jesus.
Dear Lord,
I should not
be offended if I am compared to sheep because that if how You made me. You have
called us Your sheep because that is exactly what we are. I thank You for
watching over me, keeping me safe and protected, guiding me to You, providing
me with all I need and reminding me that my will is not the answer. I pray that
I would be like the sheep now and let You be the Good Shepherd in my life. And
like the sheep, an animal that does not bring glory and honor to itself, I pray
that my life will not reflect myself either, but bring all that glory and honor to You. In Your name I pray, Amen.
Instead of a song today, I am posting a little cartoon about how we are all like sheep. It is really cute but also humbling if you look at it with God as the shepherd and yourself as the wayward stubborn sheep.
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