February is lambing season here in Idaho. The other day I stopped to walk a fence line, part of a pen housing hundreds of them, hoping to take some pictures. I climbed out of the car and suddenly heard a cacophony of bleating, baa-ing and other unintelligible sheep sounds from the flock. I had no idea they were so noisy, but I guess when sheep are hungry they make a lot of racket.
Interestingly, I’ve been reading A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, written by a former shepherd. The author, Phillip Keller, grew up in East Africa, surrounded by simple native herders, similar to their counterparts in the Middle East. As a young man he made his own livelihood for eight years as a sheep owner and rancher, so he had great knowledge of the habits and behavior of sheep. Although Keller died 20 years ago, for decades he traveled the world as a nature photographer and agronomist – an expert in soil management and crop production.
Psalm 23 has always been a favorite of mine, I memorized it while still a child and have never forgotten the words. I used to think it was just a quaint quiet poem, but after reading Keller’s book plus living half a century myself and meditating on those words, it has become a bedrock of my life.
The Lord is my Shepherd. A simple sentence of just five words, yet
It immediately implies a profound yet practical working relationship between a human being and his Maker. It links a lump of common clay to divine destiny – it means a mere mortal becomes the cherished object of divine diligence. – Phillip Keller
That in itself seems almost too good to be true. Our secular scientists and philosophers have repeatedly told us that we are alone and on our own in this universe. But this five-word sentence tells us that we matter, we are not an accident, we have worth and immense value.
It’s interesting that we as human beings are referred to as sheep many times in the Bible. We could have been likened to dogs, rabbits, birds, lions or any other creature, but Jesus calls himself our shepherd, which infers we are like sheep. Unfortunately, sheep are not known for their brains or their bravery – maybe in part because they have no fighting skills. They are one of the few animals in the world who cannot defend themselves. They have no claws, no warring teeth, they can neither jump high nor fly away. Their only defense is to flee. They are skittish, easily frightened and tend to wander away if the shepherd doesn’t pay careful attention to them.
Because there are many kinds of shepherds there are many kinds of sheep. Some shepherds are gentle, kind, selfless and brave in their devotion to their flock and their care is reflected in the health and well-being of the sheep. The Lord claims to be the Good Shepherd. He bestows on us value, dignity and care.
There are other shepherds who claim to be good, but the sheep of those shepherds are usually striving, anxious, trying to find their own way because they can’t trust their shepherd to care enough to stay around, treat them with respect or give them the attention they need.
Recently I ordered a new pair of glasses. When I went to pick them up I tried them on, as one always does. But when I tried to read that boring information card, things were a little blurry. I thought perhaps my eyes were just tired, so I took them home. But when I got home I tried them again and words were still fuzzy and indistinct. So I put them on upside-down and voila! Everything was clear. I took them back to the store and told them what I suspected. They used their little gizmo to test the lenses, then told me that indeed they had been installed opposite of what they should have been. Since one of my eyes is 2.0, and the other 2.5, each eye had an improper lens. Now with the lenses in their proper places, I can read with ease and clarity.
Sometimes we see life through improper lenses. If we see life through the lens of our Good Shepherd, we will be content with whatever comes our way, fighting the good fight of faith, knowing that ultimately God will use all things, good and bad, for our growth and well-being. We can trust him.
But if we see God through the improper lens, showing him as a bad or nonexistent Shepherd – that he is harsh, demanding, always disappointed in us and quick to anger – we will be fearful, feel abandoned, and hopeless. Through this lens he is not trustworthy. Although these are lies, we perceive them as truth.
Look through the true lens of the Good Shepherd, the Lord who made heaven and earth. Even when we as sheep are prone to wander, sometimes a little smelly and complaining, he remains the same – Good.
Love, Mom
Recent Comments