A good shepherd

After Samuel had anointed David, he left and went back to Ramah, while David returned to his father’s flock of sheep in the fields.

Day and night, David stayed with his sheep to make sure they were well cared for. He let them graze in fields of lush grass. He led them to quiet streams where the rushing water would not frighten them. He used his rod to scare off wild animals and his staff to gently lead the sheep away from unsafe places.

David wrote a psalm about God. He thought of the Lord as a Shepherd looking after him, just as he was looking after his father’s sheep.

Why does Jesus call us sheep?

Have you ever been on a sheep farm or seen a flock of sheep grazing in a field? Perhaps you have seen a picture of a shepherd leading his flock. Sheep don’t seem very bright, do they? If someone at school called you a sheep, you would probably feel insulted. Why would Jesus call us sheep if He knew we might feel embarrassed to think of ourselves that way?

Like sheep, we need to follow a shepherd; otherwise, we would end up following each other and get lost (Luke 15:4–6). Like sheep, we cannot defend ourselves (1 Peter 5:8). Like sheep, we don’t always know where the dangers lie (Proverbs 3:26).

Don’t worry too much about being called a sheep—you have the best Shepherd looking after you. He loves you so much that He gave His life to save you. Besides, those who are not part of His flock are called goats (Matthew 25:32). Now that is something you don’t want to be called!

Verse for today

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way… Isaiah 53:6

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