Articles
Why Sheep?
Of all the animals God could have likened His children to, what did He choose? I don’t think any of us would expect to be called lions, with powerful jaws and deadly claws, aggressive in pursuit of prey. No, Satan is the one likened to a lion. He is the one to watch for and beware of (1 Peter 5:8). He did not liken us to animals with a powerful defense like a rhinoceros with thick skin, strong muscles, and a sharp horn. He did not call us antelope with the speed to escape most pursuers. Even a skunk has a mechanism for discouraging its attackers. No, He likened us to sheep.
Why sheep? To put it in terms my kids might use, sheep are lame. No offense, but sheep are stupid. I’ve read some articles that state otherwise, citing that they can be creative at getting out of doing things they don’t want to do, but I’ve also seen sheep get stuck in a fence 10 feet from the gate, so we are not talking about geniuses here. Sheep are just strong enough to do what they need to do, but not to defend themselves with any success. They are not wise enough to stay where they are safe. They have a very strong flocking instinct, but that can easily lead them into danger with the rest of the crowd. In spite of that strong urge to stay in the group, some sheep still stray from the flock and get themselves lost. Now that I think about it, I am beginning to understand why God chose to compare us to sheep.
We too are pretty stupid when you think about it. We may have harnessed the power of the atom and traveled to the moon, but how many billions of our fellow sheep refuse to see the evidence of an intelligent creator? There is no excuse for that (Rom. 1:20). We too lack the strength to mount a defense of ourselves alone (1 Cor. 10: 13; James 4:7-10). We are not fast enough, strong enough, or wise enough to avoid danger, defend against threats, or find our own way to safety. To accomplish those goals, the sheep require a shepherd. Jesus is our Shepherd. John 10:14-16 says, “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.”
There is one defense mechanism that a sheep possesses, but it is fairly useless without a shepherd. A sheep has a voice. When in danger, a sheep will cry out with a loud voice for help. In doing so, it remembers the shepherd, it trusts in the shepherd, it looks for its shepherd.
A good sheep follows their Shepherd. They “walk after” Him, “fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice” (Deut. 13:4). Our Shepherd wants us to follow Him. He will not leave or forsake us, and He does not want us to fear (Deut. 31:8).
A good sheep trusts in their Shepherd. They allow Him to lead and don’t follow their own path away from Him (Prv. 3:5-6). They trust that in Him is “everlasting strength” (Is. 26:3-4). The sheep that trusts in the Shepherd is blessed and secure (Jer. 17:7-8).
A good sheep calls out to the Shepherd. They call out with confidence, knowing that there is security in Him. There is no need for anxiety and fear, but peace beyond understanding guards their heart (Phil 4:6-7). They ask for the Shepherd’s help and guidance (Psalm 119:133). They ask for strength (Psalm 119:25-28). In times of distress, the good sheep know who to cry out to because they know He will hear (Psalm 18:6).
In His wisdom, God did not make us independent, strong, powerful, quick, or wise in ourselves. He knew He would have all of those attributes and more WITH HIS HELP. He gave us a voice and He gave us the ability to call to Him. He wants for us to call out, follow, and trust Him. He made us exactly what we needed to be.
“In my distress I called upon the Lord,
And cried out to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.” – Psalm 18:6
