Not all ongoing control, violence and cruelty comes from within the home. The times when I talk about abuse on this site, it’s usually about marital abuse, fracturing the closest of human relationships. But God, in His Word, talks about another kind of abuse, in the broader family. He condemns the misuse of that relationship too. And shows us His intention for it.
I’ve been pondering sheep, shepherds, and wolves a lot lately. YHWH has brought them up in many different contexts, so I had to dig in. It’s interesting how often His Word talks about them—and how often He refers to His people as sheep.
How do you see yourself as His sheep?
Sheep
Contrary to the oft quoted quip, God does not spend His many references to sheep harping on their stupidity. He doesn’t rant on and on about how stupid His people are. But He does, over and over illustrate the truths that shepherds in the field see and know. Sheep are dependent creatures. They need a protector, a provider, a guide. Sheep need one to keep them safe. True shepherds are true caregivers, who know each of their sheep, and closely watch over them and care for their needs. Guiding, protecting, and providing for them.
False Shepherds
In Isaiah 53, we’re told how sheep go astray without a shepherd, how they constantly find themselves lost and in harms way. Yet, too often those appearing as shepherds over God’s “sheep” are really hirelings, who are just feeding themselves, getting fat off the flock, rather than feeding and caring for them. (Ezekiel 34:3-4)
“[They] have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bandaged the injured, brought back the strays, or sought the lost. Instead, [they] have ruled them with violence and cruelty.” Causing the sheep to be “scattered and become food for all the wild animals.” (v. 5)
Have you experienced harm or been brushed aside and left for the wolves to devour in your need, by human “shepherds” (church leaders)?
In the last decade, I’ve personally encountered more, than I ever wanted to believe was possible, wounded sheep, true followers of Jesus who love Him from the depths of their being, not receiving care from their earthly shepherds. I know they’ve always been there, but God has planted me smack dab in the midst of it. I’ve seen hirelings, just there for the paycheck, turn a blind eye to the wolves in sheep’s clothing amongst them, who were devouring the sheep. Those false shepherds piously saying, “Go in peace. Be warm. Be well fed,” while the sheep were bleeding out at their feet, with no way to feed or heal themselves. These hirelings “run away” when the wolf is exposed before them, rather than confronting him. They don’t want to get involved in the mess, because they don’t really care for the sheep. They are not strengthening the weak, healing the sick,—giving the injured sheep the care they need. Rather, they are causing them to be scattered, to become food for the wolves.
I’ve also seen way too many wolves in, not only sheep’s clothing, but also shepherd’s clothing, harming and devouring the sheep themselves, ruling over the sheep with violence and cruelty. (See also John 10:13-14.) This should not be so!
But God…
My favorite phrase of all time! He always has the first and the final Word, for Jesus is the Eternal Living Word. And God’s Word is “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, …”
The Great Shepherd
Jesus is the Good and Great Shepherd! He does not leave His sheep—His followers, His people,— Shepherdless. He is the One Who was “anointed to bring good news to the poor. Sent to heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners;… to comfort and provide for all who mourn…”
He is the Good Shepherd! Who lays His life down for the sheep. (John 10:12)
He knows His sheep, and they know Him. He calls them all by name. That is intimate relationship. He laid down His life, that they/we may never perish. No wolf can snatch us out of His hand. He leads and we follow, because we know His voice. We hear it and follow Him,—and won’t follow another (different voice). (John 10)
Do you trust the Great Shepherd to care for you, to provide for you, to protect you, to lead and guide you? Do you know Him and His voice, and follow him, not another? Dear one, do not doubt the Great Shepherd because of what hirelings have done.
He will never leave you. He will never harm you. He will always seek you out and find you when you are lost. He will feed and guide you.
Good Shepherds
So, do we even need human shepherds, when so many of them aren’t doing the Father’s will, and we have the Great Shepherd?
“Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed for money but eagerly; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”
1 Peter 5:2
Just as David’s and Rachel’s fathers owned the sheep, and they, as their fathers’ children, were commissioned to shepherd, care for the sheep, so too our Abba YHWH has called some of His children to oversee His sheep. We have our Great Shepherd, the one who bought and paid for His sheep with His own blood. And He has also appointed some of His children, human caregivers to shepherd His sheep. (The hirelings and wolves were not called by God, they snuck in!)
The role and calling of a shepherd and shepherdess, (in English, the “pastor” of a flock/local congregation,) is to do the job of a shepherd, to feed, guide and care for the sheep. To know the sheep—each one, individually by name, to strengthen the weak, bandage the injured, and seek out the lost. As children of the Father, carrying out His will, being the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth, following in the footsteps of the Great Shepherd. Speaking in Jesus’ voice! There are many men and women in God’s house doing this, just what He’s called them to, (whether humans have given them the “title” or not, or even deny that they can even have it.) Regardless of the evil around us, the gates of hell will not prevail against God’s church.
Please don’t wander from the Great Shepherd because of harm done to you by hirelings and wolves. There are far more wolves, eager to devour, out there in the wilderness. We weren’t meant to be solitary wilderness wanderers. We are flock people. And please know, God has called shepherds to do this work, and His true shepherds are out there. I pray you find yourself in a healthy flock, with a faithful shepherd, caring lovingly for the sheep.
Where are you, as a sheep of God— Safe in the fold with a good, caring shepherd? In the flock, but with a hireling (or wolf)? Fully trusting the Great Shepherd, but lacking and looking for a safe under-shepherd? Scattered, lost, wandering alone in the wilderness?
Let me know! ⬇️
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Living Coram Deo & freely whole
SDG!
~ Liberty—Life Restoration & Soul Transforming Creativity Coach
Empowering you to live a life that is Freely Whole—spirit, soul, and body—in Jesus!
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