“I AM the good shepherd. I know My own sheep and they know Me.” John 10:14
At age seven our son gained a love for hiking while on our annual vacation to Acadia National Park. I was the guide who studied the map and took the lead to make sure the trail wasn’t too steep ahead. He would listen to my voice and follow directions to not wander off the sometimes slick and smooth granite slopes and ledges. The reality is I wasn’t an expert, and I needed a guide too. My good friend JT knew the trails like the back of his hand and multiple times gave me the confidence and encouragement for the journey ahead.
Think of a time in your life – whether as a youth or maybe as an adult traveling in a foreign land – when you needed a reliable guide to ensure a safe passage. You depended on a person who knew the way, so you didn’t get lost or travel routes that were unsafe. A comforting voice that was easy to trust and made following the directions easier.
Jesus shared that He is the primary guide for life. In The Gospel of John, the analogy of a shepherd is used to reinforce that fact. Shepherds were a prevalent trade. Historically shepherds would anoint the heads of their sheep with oil to protect them from sand flies entering their ears or nostrils. Those intruders would eventually burrow into the sheep’s brain causing panic and self-harm. Shepherds also fought off predators seeking to kill and destroy their sheep. David relied on his battles against wild beasts as a shepherd to convince others he could defeat Goliath (1 Samuel 17:37). To this day, shepherds use distinct calls that their sheep recognize as the way to follow to safety.
By saying He is the Good Shepherd, Jesus was proclaiming that He would lead and protect us from harm and give us the abundant life that the enemy sought to steal (John 10:10-11).
Yes, in this life there will be trails that become difficult to navigate. And annoying outside voices can get into our heads, and situations will seek to cause us harm. We can’t look to the world to guide us or provide for our well-being. Those remedies will one day forsake and fail us, just like the “hired man runs away” from the sheep when danger or set-back happens because he doesn’t “care for the sheep” (v.12-13).
GOD promised to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He will defend us during our journey, and when needed, He will carry us close to Him for safety (Isaiah 40:11).
All Jesus is asking us to do is to listen for His voice and follow Him.
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