Psalm 23: A Shepherd's Perspective

"Shalom my friends. My name is Yeshua ben Yosef. I am from the ancient
land of Palestine and I'm a shepherd by trade. It is an honour for a
man of my occupation to be allowed to stand here and speak with you
today. You see in my nation shepherding is not looked upon with favour.
For most of my countrymen it is a job to be avoided rather than sought.
The hours are long. The work is dirty and backbreaking. You should see
the thick calluses on my feet. And the pay ... well let's just say
you'll never get rich tending sheep for a living. I learned the trade
from my father and I continue the family tradition.

You pastor thought it would be helpful for me to come and speak with
you today about my lowly occupation. I'm not really sure what a humble
man such as I could teach you, but I'll tell you everything that I know.

Did you know that in the Bible you read, God refers to his people, you
and me, as sheep nearly two hundred times? You may have never
considered the significance of that comparison but I have because I
work with sheep day and night. Let me tell you it's not a compliment to
be called a sheep. Why not rather eagles - majestic, swift and
beautiful? No, God calls us his sheep. Why not lions - strong,
fearless, terrifying? No, instead, God calls us his sheep. Oh they're
unique, but to be compared to one is nearly an insult. A sheep is
perhaps
the stupidest animal on the face of the earth.
Have you ever seen a trained sheep in the circus? You'll see elephants,
horses, bears, seals even hippos, but not sheep. They're too stupid to
train. Sheep are also quite filthy. The wool that you see in clothing
has been cleaned thoroughly. The fluffy white sheep that you view on
your television sets didn't get that way on their own. Sheep will not
and cannot clean themselves. The shepherd or his hired hands must do it
for them. Not only are they dumb and dirty, sheep are utterly
defenceless. They have no claws, no fangs, no wings. They can't run
fast or scare an enemy off with a loud roar or spray a predator with a
noxious scent. All they can do is bleat.

Sheep are completely reliant on their shepherds. Their lives and
well-being depend on the person who oversees them each day. If God
calls us his sheep I wonder just what he's trying to say?

Maybe you would understand God a little better if you spent a day with me.
Come with me on a journey shepherding sheep.

The day begins early, before dawn. It is my job to provide food and
water for my sheep. This is not an easy task. You see in my country the
land is parched and dry. We have nothing like the vast green pasture
lands that your sheep and cattle enjoy here. You can just turn your
animals loose and they have all the food they need. But not in my
country. Oh no. Grass can be found only in narrow strips separated by
long stretches of rock and dust. Except during the rainy season, water
is provided by natural springs or wells spread out here and there. I
sometimes have to lead my sheep miles just for a few yards of grass or
a quick drink of water. It is for that reason that we arise early. It
takes all day to find the nourishment my sheep need.

I know the area like the back of my hand. I've walked every square foot
of it many times. This is how I'm able to lead my sheep. You may have
imagined that shepherding is like those old Westerns you've seen where
the cowboys, riding their horses behind the herd, drive the cattle
forward. Shepherding is somewhat different. I walk in front of the herd
and
they follow me.
Wherever I go they go. If I were unfamiliar with the land or the sheep
were left on their own they'd starve to death. But I lead them. I know
where the grass is. I've been there beforehand.

We spend the entire morning travelling from pasture to pasture. By
mid-day the sheep are exhausted and thirsty. They need refreshing or
they
will die.
Along the route I know the location of several oasis. These places have
shade and lush pasture for the sheep to rest. I make they lie down and
drink. Speaking of which, did you know that sheep won't drink from just
any water source. Oh no. They will only drink from quiet still pools.
They have a natural fear of fast moving water and for good reason. If a
sheep should slip into a river or stream its wool would soon soak up
the water and become completely saturated. Sheep are poor swimmers
anyway, but the weight of the water in their wool would cause them to
sink and drown. That's why the waters must be gentle and still. If I
can't find a pool I have to create one by diverting water from a
stream. Now you're beginning to understand what hard work shepherding is.

My sheep will be fine and have everything that they need as long as
they follow me. I lead them along well-worn paths where I know we will
find food and water. They need my guidance.

My sheep also need my protection. The land where we travel is fraught
with dangers. Predators like lions and bears stalk the herds. There's
the occasional pack of wild dogs. Some harmless looking plants, though
tasty, prove to be poisonous. A sheep might easily stumble over a cliff
or fall into a ravine and die. But my sheep have no need to fear. I
watch out for them. If they begin to wander off in the wrong direction
I have my trusty shepherd's staff to prod them back in the right
direction. If they should fall into a pit or a ravine I use the other
end of my staff to reach down and lift them to safety. I carry two
sticks, though. One is a staff, but the other is a club. The staff is
for my sheep, but the club is for predators. My sheep may be dumb, but
I'm quite attached to them. I'll fight tooth and nail for their lives.
Some of the hirelings and other shepherds I'm acquainted with have seen
me battle a few of those big carnivores. They laugh and joke and tell
me that some day one of those lions or bears will have me for lunch.
That may be true, but I can tell you that I won't look the other way or
run the other way like those cowards. No, that's the difference between
a good and a bad shepherd. A good shepherd will lay down his life for
his
sheep.

As long as they follow me I guide and protect my sheep. It's tough
work, but I always make sure my sheep have food to eat. I always check
out the fields before I allow them to graze. If there are poisonous
plants in the area and go through and weed out everyone by hand. I also
check the ground for snake holes. I told you it's dangerous in my land.
We have tiny little vipers that live underground in some of the
pasturelands. When they sense the sheep grazing, they pop their ugly
heads out of the ground and bite the sheep on the nose. The infection
or
venom from the bite could kill them.
But I have a remedy for those viscous little enemies. I walk off the
entire area looking for snake holes. When I find them I pour a little
olive oil into the entrance of the hole. Then I anoint the head and
nose of each sheep with the same oil and allow them to graze. The oil
prevents the slick bodies of the snakes from crawling out of their
holes. They're powerless to harm my sheep. It makes me laugh to watch
my little lambs have a picnic in the very presence of their enemies.

By evening we return to the sheepfold. One by one I examine each of them.
If I find any cuts or scraps on their bodies I apply healing ointment
to their wounds. I make sure they have water to drink. If I find one
nearly overcome with thirst I have a special cup-shaped bucket and let
him drink by himself. Sometimes those sheep are so thirsty that they
stick their heads in too fast and too far and the water overflows and
wets
their heads.

Before bedding down for the night I always count my flock. Occasionally
one of the lambs will stray, and there's nothing more vulnerable than a
sheep without it's shepherd. I go immediately to find it and bring it
back to the sheepfold.

Every once in a while one of my lambs will develop a habit of straying.
I remember one little fellow. I named him Jake. He came from a fine family.
His grandfather was one of my very first sheep. I called him Old Abe.
Jake's father was Isaac. Both Old Abe and Isaac faithfully followed me
and stayed on the path, but not that little rascal Jake. He turned up
missing more times than I could count. Sometimes he was in search of
greener pastures while at other times I found him chasing butterflies.
He never realized the danger he in, but I understood it clearly.

Something had to be done. We shepherds have developed a technique
guaranteed to prevent straying. It is used only as a last resort --
when a sheep refuses to stay with the flock. The last time I caught him
straying I used it on little Jake. No doubt you will think that it's
cruel, but it saves the life of my sheep. At the end of the day I found
little Jake wandering dangerously toward a steep gorge. I picked him
up, put him on my shoulders and carried him back to the sheepfold. He
didn't struggle. Jake just looked at me with only trust in his eyes. I
sat him down and quickly placed his right front leg across my staff.
With one swift motion I pulled down of the long bone of his leg and
broke it. Wild-eyed, Jake struggled to get away. He immediately fell to
the ground in pain. He couldn't understand. The one who provided for
him and rescued him, the one who he trusted was inflicting the most
excruciating suffering he'd ever endured. I didn't want to, but I had
to do
it to save his life.

Over the next few days, little Jake could barely get up. As the flocks
moved from pasture to pasture I carried him every step of the way. I
held him close in those days. He was suffering with that broken leg,
but all the while I carried him close to my heart. I sat him down to
eat
and drink.
Gradually he was able to walk again, but the smallest hill looked like
a mountain to him and the shallowest stream like a mile-wide river.
Whenever he encountered and obstacle all he could do was stop and look
to me. Then I'd pick him up and help him over. Jake learned to trust
and to follow. I had to break him to save his life. It worked. Jake is
still with me today and one of my most loyal sheep.

Well that's a day in the life of a shepherd. It's not glamorous, but
it's a living.
As undignified as my profession is it still amazes me that God compares
himself to a shepherd and his people to sheep. I can see the truth in
it though. After all he meets our needs by providing the necessities of
life, by guiding us each day and by protecting us. I guess we would be
as content and at peace as my sheep if we'd just learn to trust and
follow him. Even if we don't understand where he's leading or what he's
doing in our lives, if we'd just trust him and follow him we'd be
satisfied.

Thank you for listening. I've got to get back to work. This shepherding
is a never-ending job if you know what I mean?"

Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the
still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for
his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will
fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou
anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and
I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.