We are sheep ... and we need a shepherd!

We are sheep

In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Brothers and sisters in Christ: may grace and peace be multiplied to you! Amen.

In the United States, in 2020, if you were to call someone a “sheep”, it’s considered quite an insult. If you listen to political discussions, you can actually hear people on both sides of the political isle calling each other “sheeple” - a mashing together of the words “sheep” and “people”. The implication is that instead of being a free-thinking human being, you, the one being insulted, are behaving like sheep, just doing what you’re told without thinking…just following the flock, and - presumably - the shepherd, whoever that is supposed to be. Ironically, this insult is being tossed about by both the political left and the political right.

Is that an accurate description of sheep? I personally don’t have any first-hand knowledge of sheep, so I did a little research on sheep behavior. Here’s a little excerpt from some sheep experts:

Sheep are best known for their strong flocking (herding) and following instinct. They will run from what frightens them and band together in large groups for protection. This is the only protection they have from predators. There is safety in numbers. It is harder for a predator to pick a sheep out of a group than to go after a few strays... It is this strong flocking instinct that allows one person to look after so many sheep. (www.sheep101.info)

I don’t think any of this is shocking news. Sheep don’t have much in the way of defenses so the “safety in numbers” principle certainly makes sense. Humans have similar instincts. Many of us (with some exceptions) don’t want to be alone. We feel safer when we travel together - and this is not just instinct; it’s also good personal safety practice. So far, I don’t see this label as an insult, actually. So let’s look a little further:

When one sheep moves, the rest will follow, even if it does not seem to be a good idea. The flocking and following instinct of sheep is so strong that it caused the death of 400 sheep in 2006 in eastern Turkey. The sheep plunged to their death after one of the sheep tried to cross a 15-meter deep ravine, and the rest of the flock followed.

Even from birth, lambs learn to follow the older members of the flock. Ewes encourage their lambs to follow. The dominant members of the flock usually lead, followed by the submissive ones. If there is a ram in the flock, he usually leads. (www.sheep101.info)

Now I can see something I would find insulting. I would like to think that I would not blindly follow a crowd off of a cliff to my death. I would like to think that no one I know - even those who disagree with me politically - would not do such a thing, either. Do any of us really go through life blindly following someone without thought, without considering whether following such a person would be beneficial or harmful or even evil? Would any of us ever follow an idea, or an ideology, or a group so blindly that we might let it take us to a place that’s damaging to our reputation, to our civility, our humanity, our soul?

I’ll readily admit that I spend a fair amount of time on social media. I spend much more time now though, since this lockdown started. Mostly because it’s my best way to stay connected to our church family. But I also am looking around at what my fellow pastors and other congregations are doing, and I’m looking around at what others in our society are doing while they’re “trapped” inside their homes. Some of what I’m finding is refreshing…but some is downright disturbing.

Political arguments have gotten pretty awful in the last 10 years…particularly the last 4 years. People on both the left and the right are putting their faith in politicians. And for many, it’s become almost a form of worship. I would even go so far as to say that politics is the new religion of many. Whatever their leanings, anything their leaders say is absolutely true, and there’s no listening to anyone who would disagree. It’s gotten so bad that different points of view are not merely shunned. They are demonized, belittled, and even in some cases censored - prevented from even being seen by anyone. Discourse is no longer civil. It’s now filled with vitriol and rage. How dare someone question my political stance?! I’m right and everyone who disagrees with me is not just wrong; they must be corrected or they must be re-educated. They must be “fixed”. There is no room for their perspective in my society! Senator So-and-so said… or Representative So-and-so said… and they’re absolutely right!

So yeah, maybe the sheep comparison isn’t all that far off in these cases. If you’re going to blindly follow some politician just because she or he says what you agree with… note that I said “blindly” … then yes, you are a part of the problem I just described, and you are definitely exhibiting some sheep-like qualities. If we are to be sheep, then we should be very careful of who we look to as our shepherd.

As Christians, we already have a shepherd…a Good Shepherd. He has told us exactly who he is and who we are. We are HIS sheep. He has purchased us with his own blood. And because we are His, we do not listen to any other would-be shepherd. We listen to the voice of Jesus. We know his voice because it is given to us in Scripture. The lessons he teaches us in His Word are how we learn his voice. The more we read and hear the Holy Scriptures, the more we learn the Shepherd’s voice.

So what are the duties of a shepherd? It boils down to basically 4 things: (from work.chron.com)

Flock Welfare

A shepherd’s primary responsibility is the safety and welfare of the flock… The shepherd will graze the animals, herding them to areas of good forage, and keeping a watchful eye out for poisonous plants… As the sheep eat all the forage in an area, the shepherd will move both the sheep and his living quarters to fresh range. In most cases, the shepherd and his dogs will move the sheep out to fresh grazing each day and bring them back to bed down in the same area each night.

Protecting From Predators

To protect the sheep under his care, a shepherd may use guard dogs or other guard animals. Sheep predators include coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, bears and [even] domestic dogs… In addition to using guard animals, many sheepherders carry rifles to shoot predators that are attacking the sheep. Cell phones and radios may also be used to call for assistance when necessary.

Protecting Health

Like other animals, sheep are susceptible to diseases, and they must also be monitored during the lambing process. They may also be bothered by insects, some of which carry disease. Shepherds are often responsible for minor injuries or basic medical treatment, especially since they work in isolated areas far from veterinary services… During lambing season, the shepherd will make frequent checks on the ewes at all hours of the day and night, and may assist the ewe if birthing problems occur…

Shearing the Flock

Unlike other animals that shed their hair in the spring, many breeds of sheep must be shorn – have their fleece cut off with shears or clippers. This task may be assigned to sheepshearers, whose primary occupation is shearing, or it may be the responsibility of the shepherd.

Shearing has multiple benefits for the sheep. It keeps them healthy - less opportunity for parasites and skin disease - both in detection and in treatment. It also keeps them comfortable: sheep with heavy wool coats have been known to die in the heat of summer. Shearing also gives the shepherd a better view of the sheep’s body, to see if there’s anything unhealthy about the animal - including if it’s too thin or too fat. Wool hides all of these factors from the Shepherd.

As our Shepherd leads us to different pastures, it’s true that not everywhere we go will be wide open and green and soft. Sometimes there will be rocky terrain, bad weather, and dangerous paths. Not because he wanted us to be there, but because our journey has led us to such a place. Nowhere in Scripture has God told us that following His path would be easy. Sometimes, in fact, we can expect some level of suffering. It’s not much of a stretch to say that there’s a bit of suffering going on right now. It’s pretty mild suffering for most of us; but it pains many of us that we can’t be together as a church right now. That, to me, qualifies as suffering, however mild others might describe it.

Our Good Shepherd leads us, protects us, and treats us when we are unhealthy. He also shears us - he removes that which we don’t need, whatever it is that might cause us injury or make us sick. And by shearing us, he can observe us better… which he does, because he cares for us.

Most importantly, he laid down his life for us. He has ALREADY done this. And even when we find ourselves in dark, scary places, our Shepherd has promised to be with us. This is the assurance we hear in the 23rd Psalm. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”

Brothers and sisters, our Good Shepherd is always with us. His is the voice we should always listen for. Those others who want to add us to their flock? Don’t listen to them. They are nothing more than thieves and robbers who would steal us away from where we are called to be…from where we are supposed to be…from where our Good Shepherd wants us to be. Focus on his voice and his voice only. Those other voices? Let them call out, but don’t follow them. They won’t protect you like Our Shepherd does. And they certainly won’t lay down their lives for you. Our Shepherd is like no other. And since he’s bought us with his own precious blood, why would we listen to anyone else?

In the name of the Father, and the + Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.