I Just Wanna Be A Sheep...

Lately I've been thinking about sheep. I know this may sound a little odd, but hear me out. To me sheep seem to be a very stupid and helpless animal. Without the guidance of a shepherd or sheepdog, I don't know if they would ever be able to find suitable pastures to eat. They are completely unable to defend themselves against predators, although I'm told that they smell extremely bad, which may act as a sort of defense. For all intents and purposes, sheep appear to be useless creatures when left to themselves without a shepherd or a sheepdog to guide and protect them. You may be starting to figure out where I am going with this, but if not, I will explain myself.

In the Bible, it says that "We are his people, the sheep of His pasture." (Psalm 100:3) At first glance, it would appear somewhat insulting to be compared to an animal of such seemingly low intelligence. But upon closer examination, I believe that it paints a very comforting and reassuring picture of our Creator. You see, like sheep, we as Christians must rely on Someone else to guide and protect us throughout our entire lives. Jesus himself said "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 my sheep." (John 10:14-15) Who better to look after us than the One who knows us completely? Like sheep, we are unable to live life on our own, and it is only through the guidance of the Good Shepherd that we can find fulfillment and contentment.

Psalm 23 beautifully describes this relationship between the Good Shepherd and His sheep:

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside

quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his

name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear

no evil,

for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

What I like about this passage is that it shows that we do not need to worry about our future, because is all in God's hands and He will "guide us in paths of righteousness". Because of His presence, we are even able to eat in the sight of our enemies without fear. Like sheep, we are able to completely trust and rely on our Shepherd to guide us through life. In a world where everybody wants to be in control of their own destiny, I find comfort in the fact that I do not have to worry about it, as it is in the hands of One far greater than I.