I have come to the conclusion that I am a sheep – many times confused, sometimes rebellious, a little fearful, most of the time restless, and I have also heard that I am demanding. These are only some of the characteristics of sheep. A few other traits of sheep that I can relate to, I did not even mention. The bottom line is – I am a sheep.
It is not always a bad thing when you recognize that you are a sheep. They illustrate important truths that we can learn from. Unless you’re a farmer, you probably don’t have much experience with, or knowledge about sheep. To find out if you are a sheep as well, look at the following attributes. You might not only learn a little more about yourself in the process, but also about God, our Father.
Too many voices confuse sheep. The shepherd learns the language that his sheep will recognize, then he uses that language to guide them. In turn, the sheep learn the language and voice of the shepherd. They hear his voice when he calls them. Sounds a lot like John 10:14 “I know my sheep and my sheep know me”
Sheep only knows how to be sheep. You will not be able to make sheep do something contrary to their nature. Trying to get a sheep to behave like any other animal is doomed to failure. You lead sheep, by example; you do not give them instructions. If you want sheep to do something, get them to do things sheep do. Sheep become ‘sheepish, when yelled at. They want to be led.
Sheep are stronger together – they love to flock. When one wanders off and is separated from the flock it becomes an easy target for predators. In the same way, we think we know better and end up in all kinds of situations God never intended for us! Isaiah 53:6 says: “All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.” God tells us there is safety in staying close to Him, and Jesus came to bring us back into the fold. Sheep are fearful creatures. When in danger, sheep will run away – they go astray. They feel safe with their shepherd, because he takes care of them.
Sheep are prone to follow other sheep. They don’t pay attention. They follow the sheep ahead of them. When one sheep goes in a different direction, it can lead others away with itself as well.
Sheep are afraid of the unknown, of darkness, and of strange pastures. This helps to keep them together for support and comfort. There is a difference between sheep who run away, and those who get lost. They become lost out of lack of attention. The ‘runners’ are recognized when they are threatened by something.
Sheep are not very intelligent and rather helpless. They rely on their shepherd to keep them from harm, or rescue them if they get into trouble. Imagine a shepherd pulling a sheep from a hole in the ground by his hind legs (because he can’t get himself out)… Many times God has to do that for us! Matthew 9:36 says: “When he (Jesus) saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
A sheep released into the wild cannot survive – they have no survival skills. They are totally dependent upon the shepherd.
Sheep are demanding. They demand food, food, and more food.
Sheep are restless. They almost never sleep. They’d rather eat or bleat. For sheep to lie down they need freedom from fear, freedom from friction with others, freedom from hunger, and freedom from parasites.
The great news about being a sheep, we find in Psalm 23 where we are reminded that the Shepherd cares deeply for the sheep. We read that the Lord is our loving, gentle Shepherd who gives us rest, protection from our enemies, who leads us, comforts us, and guides us.
Despite our cluelessness and helplessness, as well as the tendency to do things our own way, God CAN and WANTS TO restore us back to Him.
“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away!” (Matthew 18:12-13)
Isaiah 40:11: “He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart.”
Maybe you are banging your head against a wall? Take heart! Flies are one of the worst enemies of sheep. Unlike some animals, sheep can’t shake off the flies, knock them off with their hooves, or swat them away with their tails. They fly into their noses and lay their eggs. When the eggs hatch, it drives the sheep insane. They start banging their heads against rocks, trees, or walls. With us, it’s the same - little things irritate us the most and can drive us nuts. But there is a cure – oil.
Shepherds would pour oil, mixed with sulfur, over a sheep’s head both to sooth and to heal. It serves as an insect repellant. This is what David means when he says ‘the Lord is my shepherd and He anoints my head with oil’. Not only is the oil symbolic of the Holy Spirit, but it shows that God - our good Shepherd - not only protects us, He also soothes our hurts and heals the wounds of life. There may be scars left, but these scars are there to remind us of the healing that has taken place. How do we look at these scars? We can either look at them and remember the hurt, or look at them and remember our Healer.
The crux of the matter is this: A relationship is needed between the sheep and the Shepherd! Jesus illustrates the sheep/shepherd relationship in a powerful way - the sheep recognize the shepherd’s voice, but they will run away from a stranger. He calls each sheep by name, and they follow Him because of trust. Jesus sacrificed His own life to save His sheep. He knows each sheep intimately and we can trust that He always has our best interests in mind.
Dear shy sheep, those shameful shots should not leave you ashamed. If it feels impossible to stand, you can safely lie down next to the Lamb of God. He is the Lion of Judah!
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