Shepherds

In Australia we don’t refer to people who look after sheep as Shepherds. I guess that is because a shepherd usually walks around with his sheep and leads them to pastures. In Australia we usually don’t do that, instead the sheep owner has a portion of grazing land that is divided into fields that are called paddocks and the owner who is called a Grazier or a Wool Grower or a Fat Lamb Producer supervises the sheep in these paddocks and moves them into a fresh paddock when it is required. So in effect he is a Shepherd as he has the responsibility of a lot of sheep. It is a full time job and in our very unreliable climate can be very difficult work and sometimes you feel that you are the sheep’s slave. I know what I’m talking about because my wife Audrey and I did this for most of our life and were frequently plagued by droughts when there wasn’t enough grass to keep the sheep alive. Just dust.

Consequently in the good seasons we had to plant barley or oats, then harvest it and store the grain in silos as reserve food for drought times. Making dams to store water for them was also essential as most properties have no reliable creeks or rivers. After years of drought I found it necessary to “cut scrub” which means prune the trees that had edible leaves so they had some greenery in their diet.

Poor sheep couldn’t cope with multiple births either so Audrey would collect surplus lambs and “mother” them. Of course our daughters loved that. Work, work, work, however the sheep showed their appreciation by chasing our vehicle around the paddock wanting t o be fed. One sheep we named “Beetle” befriended our son Rowan and would stand still whilst Rowan climbed on his back and would then take him for a ride.

Shepherds have often found their work to be confronting: David was one who took his job seriously and in 1 Samuel17:34 said:”When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth”. We didn’t have lions or bears to contend with but foxes had to be constantly poisoned or shot to save the lambs from being eaten and crows would pick their eyes and take their tongues so had to be dealt with too. Jesus gave his life for us (His “sheep”) in order to nullify the consequences of our sin, if we repent and believe on Him, and has in effect made available an inexhaustible supply of this “forgiveness food” because “It is not His will that one of these little ones shall perish” (Matthew 18:14). However the “food” won’t distribute itself, therefore, just as we had to take the oats to our hungry sheep so we, who know about the saving grace of Jesus, are responsible for the distribution of this “Spiritual food” to those who need it. Doing that is called “the Great Commission” as Jesus said to “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

Which brings me to the whole point of the matter: If you, dear reader, haven’t yet heard this good news or taken it seriously, then don’t delay; accept His forgiveness now and become one of the “sheep” that follow Him.  Are you hesitating? Well  I was just like that when I was presented with the Christian gospel and was very hesitant about changing my thinking and way of life but once we “taste and see that the Lord is good,” the statement  “blessed is the person that trusteth in Him” (Psalm 34:8) becomes a reality, I’ve been there and done that. It is similar to when we took oats out to our sheep, at first they just “nibbled” a bit and were reluctant to eat it, however when they had tried it, and “got a taste for it” they chased us everywhere for more.

 The world is in the mess it is in, largely because people like you and me have often neglected our responsibility as Shepherds and not taken the feed Jesus supplies, to His needy “sheep”. One day Jesus will either ask us “Why didn’t you feed my lambs with the milk of the word?” (1 Peter 2:2). Or will He say “Well done good and faithful servant”?  Best wishes with that “food for thought”.  Tom.