Impact Shepherding

The Lord is my shepherd and therefore we are his lambs. But what does it actually mean to be a shepherd? I deal with this question every Saturday morning, because since mid-September I have been shepherding the sheep at the pilot farm.

I have to admit: It's not as easy as you might imagine. In the beginning the sheep don't know you and therefore run away. No whistling or wagging the stick will help. Running after them is also not advisable, because the faster the shepherd runs, the faster his sheep run.

Fortunately, the problem usually resolves itself. 

One point I soon noticed was that as a shepherd, I can see the green  grassy areas ahead of the sheep. But leading them there is not always easy. They prefer to stop at the patch they can see, even if there is just little food. For the shepherd, this short-sightedness is frustrating, because I want to lead them to the lush and green pastures, but they won't let me. 

The longer I tend the animals, the more I understand God and His Word.

I have to learn to listen to His voice and follow Him. If I trust my shepherd and let him lead me, he will bring me to green pastures. For if I stop to enjoy the three tufts of grass on the barren ground, I will miss the wonderful pastures my Shepherd would have planned for me long ago. He sees the big picture and provides for me all around. And sometimes the paths to the pasture lead through the brush, where thorns pile up left and right. It is then that I may trust him - who goes ahead - and listen to his voice. For he is the good shepherd who loves his sheep!