I asked this to a group of kids at AWANA one evening. When you ask a kid this question, all sorts of answers are given.
“What is your favorite animal?”
That is the next question I asked. Oh boy, … there really are some fun answers for this one!
What about you? What do you want to be when you grow up? And what is your favorite animal?
What if I told you that what I want to be and my favorite animal are actually … THE SAME?? What? No, REALLY!!!
Do you know what it is?
Here’s a little hint …
Sheep? Yes, SHEEP!
I live in Walworth County and that is home to the annual (163 years and going strong!!!) Walworth County Fair!!! (To learn more about the Walworth County Fair held the week before Labor Day, click here:http://www.walworthcountyfair.com/) One of my favorite things to do when I go to the fair (besides eats lots and lots of fair food) is to go visit the sheep!
Yep, that’s right! I am just crazy about them!!
And when we go to England and Wales, I get really excited as we drive along the road and can look out the window to see a beautiful countryside speckled with SHEEP!!
You know, if I lived on a farm, I would have my own little flock of sheep. Wouldn’t that be cool?
And if I did … what would that make me??? Can you guess? Yep, that’s right … it would make me a shepherd!
Shepherding is one of the oldest occupations known to mankind, even before farming. Shepherds traveled from place to place, living in tents while driving their flocks of sheep from one pasture to another. The sheep and their shepherd lived together every minute of every day. In fact, they were so intimately bound together that individual sheep, even when mixed with other flocks, could recognize the voice of their own shepherd and would come immediately when called by name. A shepherd owned and marked his sheep. For thousands of years, shepherds around the world marked their sheep by notching their ears with a sharp knife. Each shepherd had his own distinctive notch that indicated identity and ownership.
Today, instead of notching the ears of sheep, the sheep’s ears may be pierced with identification tags.
But the most common form of marking and identifying sheep today is wool marking.
Is anyone wondering how what I’ve told you so far makes me want to be a “sheep”?
Well, one reason is because sheep have a strong herding or flocking instinct. And due to their strong flocking instinct and failure to act independently of one another, sheep have been universally branded "stupid." Sheep have a strong instinct to follow the sheep in front of them. When one sheep decides to go somewhere, the rest of the flock usually follows, even if it is not a good "decision." For example, sheep will follow each other to slaughter. If one sheep jumps over a cliff, the others are likely to follow. Even from birth, lambs are conditioned to follow the older members of the flock. This instinct is "hard-wired" into sheep. It's not something they "think" about.
Another reason they’re called “dumb” is because often times a sheep will “tip over” and can then not right itself again. If a sheep falls over on its side or back and is not put right again, it will most likely die.
Sheep can get tangled in brambles and brush. Because of their wool, if they get stuck in something with thorns or lots of little branches, they will unlikely be able to get themselves out.
Sheep can get lost easily. They spend much of their time wandering around the pasture, eating grass and following other sheep, somewhat aimlessly. A sheep is not usually capable of remembering where it started to find its way back.
The shepherd’s role is to control the flocks movements. The shepherd will keep the sheep in areas that will allow them to continually be fed. He will right the wrong-sided sheep; He will loose the tangled sheep and He will search out and find the lost sheep. The shepherd watches over the sheep and cares for their every need. The sheep don’t have to know the way home; they only need to know who will lead them. They don’t have to be able to “right” themselves or get themselves out of the “tangled” mess they got into … all they have to do is call out and wait upon the shepherd and he will find them, get them out of their “mess” and bring them home where they belong.
Psalm 100:3 – Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture
John 10:14 – I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me
John 10:27 - My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me
When you think about it, sheep don't come across as stressed-out creatures. In fact, they seem almost oblivious to danger. Sheep don't seem to worry about where their next meal is coming from, if they will have a place to sleep each night, when the next enemy or thief will attack, or even what the next day holds. When sheep are sick or in need, they simply turn to their Shepherd, instinctively knowing He will take care of them and comfort them until healing comes. Being a sheep is the perfect picture of who we are in Jesus. Without Him we can do nothing; we need Him and He takes care of us.
I want to be a sheep! I want to be stress-free and oblivious to danger! I don’t want to worry about if I’ll keep having enough food for my table or the roof over my head...but sometimes I do. I don’t want to worry about the economy throwing me into poverty ... but sometimes I do. I don’t want to worry about the Enemy interfering with my life and the lives of my children ... but sometimes I do. I don’t want to worry about what I can’t control ... how about you? But don’t we, many times, try to control every aspect of our lives and sometimes even the lives of those around us? All it brings us is trouble … a troubled heart, a troubled mind, a troubled stomach. Seriously, God did not intend for us to live our lives in such knots!
I want to be a sheep who remembers each day who I belong to. I want to truly know my Shepherd … intimately and so much so that I can hear and know His voice. I just want to be a sheep … who follows my Shepherd faithfully and carefree. The LORD is my Shepherd … who takes care of all my needs … who leads me and guides me in the way He knows is best … Even when I struggle and problems arise, I do not have to be afraid, because my Shepherd is with me and He brings me comfort.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
So, … what do you want to be ???
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