The Good Shepherd

Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression, bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.

-- Isaiah 1:17

If you're one of the millions of Americans these days who are considering a career change, how about becoming a shepherd?

Although the number of job openings for shepherds has dropped over the last several decades, it appears that good help is still hard to find. In fact, it's not uncommon for ranchers, farmers and landowners to import experienced shepherds from other nations where sheep-and-goat management is a thriving enterprise. If you still think that you're up to the task, understand that shepherds are responsible for protecting their flock against vicious predators including coyotes, wolves, mountain lions, bears and even domestic dogs. They must also monitor their sheep for illness. What's more, an experienced shepherd is expected to shear up to 125 ewes a day without nicking or cutting the animals' skin.

Above all, a shepherd's primary responsibility is the safety and welfare of their flock. And since so many different things can happen to the sheep under their watch, they must expect the unexpected, be courageous and do the right thing.

Doing the right thing isn't just the right thing to do, it's also a biblical principle for Christ-followers. As we read in James 4:17, "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."

Doing the right thing often calls for bravery. While we may never face a powerful army on the battlefield, we might have to take on societal opponents like injustice, crime or discrimination. We have no hope of defeating them on our own. However, we should be encouraged that God specializes in empowering average Joes and Janes to do the extraordinary against overwhelming odds.

For example, the Old Testament tells us that David--at the time an obscure shepherd boy and musician--protected his nation by killing the giant Goliath with a single stone launched from his slingshot. It was this same David who eventually became the mighty King of Israel and the one God called "a man after My own heart." Likewise, a fisherman named Peter once dove into the deep end (literally) when he accepted Jesus' call to walk on water. But after doubting his own abilities, Peter began to sink beneath the waves. Christ, however, saved him once the struggling follower called out in faith. This same Peter--who would eventually deny Jesus to others three times--ultimately became a bold preacher of The Way (the Good News about his Savior, Jesus Christ). Two books of the Bible also bear Peter's name.

As Christ-followers, we can take heart as we proceed through the peaks and valleys of our faith-journeys. While the world is indeed a scary place, God doesn't expect us to solve all of its problems. Instead, it's by seeking and embracing his power in faith that we can make a world of difference. And it all starts when we--like The Good Shepherd we worship--seek and do the right thing.