November 5, 2023

John 10: 11, 14 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. . . . I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” (NIV)

God’s sheep know his voice.*

Being likened unto sheep is not exactly flattering. Have you ever seen a sheep doing tricks? Ever heard of a drug-sniffing sheep? A cadaver sheep? I recently saw a video of a herd of sheep being led by a donkey. Apparently they will follow anything.

Shepherds don’t get much respect, either. But a good shepherd in Jesus’ day had some skill sets that make him worthy of our esteem. Some of his main duties included: moving the sheep from pasture to pasture; protecting the sheep from predators; keeping the flock together. In order to perform his job well, the shepherd needed foresight and organizational skills; courage; vigilance; problem-solving skills. Because his family’s livelihood might rely on the success of the shepherd, a good shepherd would risk his own life to protect the flock.

When I think of Jesus as a shepherd, I think of a really good shepherd. A great one, actually. Because Jesus isn’t just a dutiful shepherd; he is a loving shepherd. He is the owner of the sheep, not just someone making minimum wage to keep an eye on them. He knows each sheep individually and meets its personal needs. He nurtures the relationship so that the sheep learns to trust him, feel secure in his care, and follow him.

And one more thing: if the sheep know the good shepherd, they are better able to recognize a bad shepherd when they encounter one. A “so-so” shepherd wouldn’t give his life for his sheep – but our great shepherd did!

The same that rules with the strong hand of a prince leads and feeds with the kind hand of a shepherd.*