We are His Sheep

"He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out . . . 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 the sheep."  John 10:3, 14-15


All through the Bible,  God refers to us as sheep (see Psalm 49, 74, 78; Isaiah 13, 53).  It is now Jesus, who is the sacrificial lamb, who is also our shepherd.  What is so significant about sheep?  I mean, they are cute little animals, but why not gazelles?  Pigeons?  Hippos?

According to wikianswers.com, sheep are gregarious...meaning they love to be with the herd.  Sheep must have a leader (shepherd) and must be told what to do and where to go, other wise they'll wander off and get lost.

Characteristics of Sheep
1. timid, fearful, easily panicked
2. dumb stupid, gullible
3. very vulnerable to fear, frustration, pests, hunger
4. easily influenced by a leader, by the shepherd
5. stampede easily, vulnerable to mob psychology
6. little or no means of self-defense; can only run
7. easily killed by enemies
8. the shepherd is most effective, calming influence
9. jealous, competitive for dominance
10. constantly need fresh water, fresh pasture
11. have very little discernment in choosing food or water
12. best water source is early morning dew
13. perverse, stubborn - will insist on their own way , even eating poisonous
plants or drinking dirty water
14. easily "cast" - flipped over on their back, unable to right themselves
will die of starvation if not turned over by shepherd; helpless
15. frequently look for easy places to rest
16. don't like to be sheared, cleaned
17. too much wool can cause sheep to be easily "cast"
18. creatures of habit; get into "ruts"
19. need the most care of all livestock
20. need to be "on the move"; need a pre-determined plan, pattern of grazing
21. totally dependent of shepherd for every need
22. need "rod and staff" guidance

Ah.  Now I understand.  I see a few - OK, many -- OK, all of those characteristics in myself!  I highlighted a few that I thought were especially relevant.  Like how easy it is to get caught up in what everyone else is doing ("mob mentality").  Like how stubborn I am, wanting my own way.  Like how easily I can get turned over, and lie there helpless.  Like how I don't like to be disciplined, or cleaned.  Like how I totally need guidance.

How about you?  Recognize yourself in there?  

 

I'm so grateful that God created the sheep for us to see and learn lessons from!  He is our shepherd, the one we could not survive without.  He could look down upon as, as sheep, and see all these ridiculous characteristics - timidity, fearfulness, vulnerability - and wash His hands of us.  But instead, He chooses to shepherd us.  Even more than that, He created us this way, so that as sheep we would see our need for a shepherd.

Everything He does, everything He has created, directs our attention back to Him and His great love for us. 

Sheep may be dumb.  But I gotta say, I love being His sheep!