SHEPHERD STYLE

The shepherd image is a frequent picture we have of a caring God. Although the shepherd/sheep idea is pretty foreign to most of us, we still understand functionally what the image is about. It is a display of the beauty of God in Jesus; the loving, caring, protecting, leading, serving shepherd.

The duty of a shepherd is to present his flock in a healthy and whole way, with plenty of food, water and rest; without sickness and stress, and to give full attention to the needs of every sheep under all circumstances.

It follows then that our first response in the presentation of beauty is to learn to treat others as a shepherd would treat the sheep: loving, caring, serving, healing, feeding and ‘knowing his sheep by name.’ This is the kind of shepherd who can teach us to ‘lay down our lives for others.’ That’s shepherd style living.

“I am the good shepherd; and I know my sheep and they know me.” Jesus