A shepherd does many things for their flock. First among those is leading them. The first and foremost job of the flock is to follow the shepherd. If the shepherd is leading the flock to food, water, rest, safety and all the other places a good shepherd takes them to, but they do not follow, is that really their shepherd? A shepherd doesn’t force or trick the flock into going or coming. Whoever does that is a scam artist, a charlatan, if you will. If you call Jesus your shepherd, but do not follow him, who then is the fraud? The True Shepherd will always lead us to good things, but He can’t lead you there if you don’t follow.
Mark 6:30–34; Mark 6:53–56; Ezekiel 34; Amos 8:11-12
