Thursday, January 29, 2009
What does a good sheep look like?
Since the Lord is our Shepherd, I'm curious about what it looks like to be a good sheep? I don't know much about sheep. They just eat grass, wander freely around the pasture, then the shepherd takes them to new pastures to get more grass? Are they going somewhere in particular?
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Krissy Little is going to single-handedly keep this blog going. I love it! Krissy is setting me up for all these great points I want to make anyway. Yeah!
ReplyDeleteI have often done a demonstration where we just look at Psalm 23, and make a list of the shepherd's responsibility, verse by verse, as well as the sheep's responsibility. The sheep's list ends up looking something like this:
-be shepherded
-want nothing
-lie down
-be led
-be at peace
-have your soul restored
-be guided by right paths
-be free to wander into deep darkness
-have no fear
-know that God's always with me
-be comforted by God's rod and staff (his authority and his ability to correct)
-sit and eat peacefully even with enemies around
-have your head anointed
-have your cup overflow
-be pursued by God's goodness and mercy
-be convinced that you'll always dwell in God's house
This is, um, a FREAKING AWESOME LIST. Now, when you put it up against the shepherd's list (to restore you, to guide you, to lead you, to feed you, etc. etc.), it's obvious to me that the way to be a BAD sheep is to TRY TO BE THE SHEPHERD. A BAD sheep, based on Psalm 23 (the longest such description in the Bible) tries to provide for himself, make his own way, assume he knows what's best, be skittish and suspicious... feel free to extend this list for your own study.
A sheep's "job" is to 1) get fat, and 2) grow hair. Really. That's best case scenario for a sheep. Sheep will neither get fat nor grow hair if they feel harassed, nervous, or uncertain. Did you know that? So a place of peace and trust is absolutely the only way they'll be what they were created to be. Sheep have no inherent defense mechanism, and are physically frail. In short: delicious eats for some prowling wolf. They're easy to catch and easy to eat. So when a sheep is confident and at peace, it means they're in submission to Someone who covers their weaknesses--of which there are many. Imagine a sheep being at peace to eat a meal in the presence of a bear and a wolf and a lion! Yet that's EXACTLY the picture David paints for us. He's saying, "You are so able, God, and so in tune with my needs that I can have a feast, with the devil himself standing their watching me. I have total confidence in you! Your strong, loving character puts me at ease, no matter the circumstances! I'll be at peace, and get fat, and grow hair! I can take a nap anywhere, knowing that you're near me." I just looooooooooove this picture.
They have no clue where they're going. They have no ambition to go anywhere, except to be close to that shepherd. The shepherd has a plan, but the sheep have no idea that there even IS a plan. They are completely unconcerned about any kind of Goal. Their intention is to stay near that shepherd, even if he leads them into a valley of the shadow of death. "I don't know what this is and, frankly, it looks spooky to me. But Shepherd is with me, so I know it's okay!" How great is that?
I would like to STRONGLY recommend "A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23", a small book written by an African shepherd. He tears the psalm apart and lets you know what it really means. It's WONDERFUL. Please get a hold of it and learn about your sheepiness in Jesus.
Can you tell that I loved this question?
a good sheep doesn't bite the shepherd's hand. this is something i remember speaking with my wife about when we were first married. in a rational moment far removed from marital turmoil, i told her that i desired to shepherd her as an expression of the Good Shepherd and that there were times i was nervous to do so because she'd bite at me when i was trying to nurture/encourage (even occasionally instruct). once she understood my concerns -- it got MUCH better. she realized there were moments when she was touchy and didn't want the very thing she needed. a shepherd with scarred hands/fingers might be more common than we all think.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pepe! Keep up the chatter!
ReplyDeleteAre there any sheep "milestones" that we should be keeping in mind?
ReplyDelete