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| Sheep have an annoying tendency for not watching where they're going, as well as for leading others astray. |
Recently I read a
brief account about some really stupid sheep in Istanbul, Turkey. In 2005, one
sheep in the flock decided to jump off a cliff, and nearly 1,500 others
subsequently followed. Approximately one-third of the sheep died, and I’m sure at
the very least each of the others must have been wondering, “What was I
thinking?”
This seems like a
crazy happening, and you’re probably wondering if it was just a rare occurrence, an
aberration in the history of sheepdom. But it wasn't. Years ago my friend, Ken
Johnson, and his family devoted more than a decade of their lives to raising
sheep on their “hobby farm” outside Minneapolis, Minn., and they witnessed
abundant examples to prove dumbness is not a trait exclusive to Turkish sheep.
Early one morning Ken
was cleaning up in front of the barn where his sheep were housed. As he let the
animals out for the day, he went to the door and held the handle of his hoe in
front of the first sheep as it came out. He just wanted to see what it would
do. Without hesitation, the sheep leaped over the hoe and casually strolled
into the pasture. Ken pulled the handle away, but when every sheep exiting the
barn reached that point, they proceeded to replicate what the lead sheep had
done, leaping as if the hoe handle were still there.
So apparently to a
sheep’s way of thinking, jumping off a cliff because the one directly in front
did it makes perfect sense.
Why bring this up?
Because the Bible uses the sheep metaphor extensively, in both the Old and New
testaments. In fact, the prophet Isaiah wrote thousands of years ago, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each
of us has turned to his own way…” (Isaiah 53:6). The problem is, as anyone
that has spent time with sheep can attest, when one sheep strays, many of the
others are likely to follow – sometimes to their doom.
This is why in Israel
and other parts of the Middle East, as well as countries like New Zealand –
where sheep actually outnumber the populace – shepherds are important, even
though they have little social status. Shepherds not only protect their flocks
from predators; they also protect the sheep from themselves.
In Ken’s book, Pursuing Life With a Shepherd’s Heart, which
I had the privilege of co-authoring, he offers numerous other illustrations. But
the point is this: As Isaiah declared, in many ways we are indeed like sheep,
prone to be misled and get into all manner of mischief. We desperately need a
shepherd – the Shepherd – to guide us, watch over us and care for us.
The 23rd
Psalm is beloved for its poetic style, but it also communicates enduring truth:
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall
not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green
pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of
righteousness for His name’s sake.
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.
You prepare a table before me in
the presence of my enemies,
You anoint my head with oil; my
cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will
follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of
the Lord forever.”
Each of these verses
could be discussed individually and applied to our lives and circumstances. But
collectively they tell us one thing – we desperately need the Shepherd, and
He’s promised to faithfully provide for our needs as we follow Him.
This is why Jesus made what might have seemed a bold
declaration when He told His followers, “I
am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…. 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…” (John 10:11-18).
In that simple statement Jesus was assuring us that He is
our true shepherd, He knows us personally, and at that moment was foretelling
the sacrifice He soon would provide atonement for our sins and offer redemption
to each of us.
The question we each must answer, one no one can answer for
us, is who are we following? Today there are countless “leaders,” many voices
calling out and offering to serve as our “shepherd.” Sadly, all but one is leading
toward a cliff and too many are blindly, mindlessly following them.
More than 35 years ago I made the determination that the
Lord is indeed my Shepherd, and true to His word, I have never been in want. My
needs have always been met, sometimes in ways I could never have imagined. And
I’ve resolved to follow Him ever since, even though at times I’ve lapsed into
my foolish, sheep-like ways. Thankfully, although at times I’ve looked away
from Him, Jesus has never looked away from me.
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