Dumb Sheep

Psalm 23:1-3 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.

ME: All my life I have heard that sheep are really dumb and are just tag-a-longs. Why do You refer to us as sheep? That does not give me those warm fuzzy feelings.

JESUS: Perhaps you need to do some research. They are not stupid, but instead very social and there are some life lessons to learn from an ovine. 

ME: Oh, here we go again with a nature story! I love hearing about animals but I am struggling with the sheep mentality comparison.

JESUS: Did you know that I created sheep with great eyesight? They can discriminate colors and they have an excellent sense of smell and taste for plants (after recognizing what is beneficial and what is harmful). They have individual needs and they stay together for social and survival reasons.

ME: I can see some similarities already. Then why do people call them dumb or stupid?

JESUS: The world calls them names. But they have a shepherd who takes care of their needs and keeps them safe. He watches over them with a tenderness that cannot easily be explained.

ME: Are they trainable? Can a sheep learn anything?

JESUS: Can you? When you hear My voice, do you come or take off in another direction? When something is not beneficial for your health, do you partake of it anyway? If something is wrong, do you isolate or seek out others in your herd?

ME: They don’t seem dumb. I…ah, on the other hand…

JESUS: Stop! I don’t have to worry about the wooly sheep in the meadow; they will stay together. I do, however, tend to watch my human sheep more carefully. There are stragglers, wanderers and every now and then I will find a wolf in sheep’s clothing in the mix.

ME: So, do You treat us the same?

JESUS: Of course not! You are of much greater value to My kingdom. I pour blessings upon you daily. I answer your prayers and bring you comfort. I created you with a specific purpose. You are not consumable!

ME: Jesus, I am so thick-headed sometimes. For all these years I thought sheep were really stupid and just followed the leader because they couldn’t do anything else.

JESUS: They were a special creation, one that all generations could use as an example. There is nothing wrong with being in My flock. Listen for My voice, follow Me and you will rest peacefully beside still waters.