I’m an urban male and a technology guy, so you can imagine my delight when Nancy volunteered in a group Bible study that she raised sheep. Sheep aren’t even suburban, they’re rural I’m thinking as Nancy shares and they’re decidedly low tech. Sheep are also a very important Biblical metaphor for how God relates to man. In the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus describes how far a shepherd will go to recover a single lost sheep.

It was once reported that the stock market “reeled” when then Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan made “off the cuff” remarks to a reporter about it. Shepherd Nancy uttered soft sentence after soft sentence while shaking her head and gesturing wildly with her hands for emphasis; I reeled. Each truth opened up the sheep metaphor like a child ripping at their long awaited Christmas present. Like a child the experience seemed entirely mine. There was only me in the room hanging on every word with my mouth agape and forgetting to breath as the Spirit whipped through me. This can’t be! It so obvious and yet so profound! It’s like Algrebra, I listened perplexed and then I got it. Once I got it, I had it forever.

What did Shepherd Nancy say?

1. Sheep are way more stupid than you think.

I took this one like a left uppercut to the jaw rattling my teeth. I am way more stupid than I think. Relative to the Shepherd I am as nothing. This meant two things to me. First, the stupid manner in which other sheep acted and I responded that led to my long prodigal run is okay, not ideal, but okay. Secondly, no matter how high or low are my stores of talent, wit, IQ or perseverance, they are but nothing compared to the Shepherd. Shall I argue with another sheep over which is swifter or brighter? We’re all dependent on the Shepherd, it matters how swift and how crafty He is!

2. The first thing you do with a new sheep is teach it the Shepherd’s voice.

U.S. Treasury agents are taught to detect a counterfeit $20 bill by becoming experts at recognizing an authentic $20 bill. There are many ways to counterfeit the bill, but there’s only one authentic version of it. Sheep instinctively accept only one voice as their master’s voice, all others are assumed to the voice of an enemy. Teeth rattled by the stupidity of sheep as taught by the Spirit, this was a body blow that robbed me of my breath. Of course, the Shepherd’s voice is the Word of God! I need only keep my ear near it so I know I’m in the right pen. My master’s voice (the Word) is also the sword of the Spirit, the Shepherd’s rod and staff, His weapons that protect me. The fight is His not mine. I need not become an expert on the many voices of the many enemies, I need only listen for my Shepherd’s voice.

3. When sheep are alarmed, they run until they’re completely exhausted. They are then defenseless, exhausted to the point of being incapable of defending themselves in any way. The Shepherd must go to the sheep and carry it back to the pen.

This was the knockout blow, a left to the side of my head that put me down. As a young minister, I became so alarmed when I was thrown out of one church and then the next that I turned and ran. I did not stop running until I was completely exhausted 27 years later. Even then, I sought no help from God, I couldn’t. I was exhausted and my legs were shaking, I was completely defenseless. Of course I wasn’t seeking, I could do nothing but shake and gasp for air. My Shepherd picked me up and carried my near lifeless body on his shoulders back to the safety He provided. I would not understand this amazing experience until a couple of years later when my Shepherd placed me back into my pen and I knew only then that I was home and in range of His comforting voice.

4. A sheep that has wandered off and been rescued, never wants to leave the side of his rescuer. The sheep will follow the shepherd underfoot everywhere he goes and right up to the front door for the rest of his life.

I know the terror of living outside the pen, so I understand how grand is the pen and that all praise and thankfulness goes to the Shepherd who is worthy of all my love and trust. Why would I want to be anywhere else? It’s now about a year since my Master placed me back in the pen, three or more since He carried me on His shoulder and I cry every time I enter a building that contains my fellow sheep. The contrast between fearful helplessness and the rapture of placing all my gratitude at His feet and acknowledging the worthiness of my Shepherd is overwhelming. He is holy, that is wholly separate from the sheep in ability and understanding that He willingly gives back for the good purpose of His sheep.

The Spirit-provided tour through the Biblical sheep metaphor both knocked me out and carried me to deeper comprehension of who I am and who God is. Everywhere you see me, somewhere near me is a picture of one or more sheep to remind me of how stupid and dependent I am and where my confidence is best placed.

I thought this song was appropriate for these thoughts:
You Raise Me Up – Selah  “I am strong when I am on your shoulders … ”

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