A Better Shepherd

On his blog, Tim Challies shares a story about four hundred sheep dying by walking off a cliff, one after another, while their shepherds were eating breakfast (Tim Challies, “Dumb as Sheep,” Challies [blog], December 16, 2009). When you compare these shepherds with Jesus in John 10, it’s easy to see why he’s such a “good shepherd” (v. 11). In contrast with neglectful shepherds who leave their dumb flock to their own folly, Jesus actually sacrifices his own life for theirs. As his disciples, we can trust Jesus’s steadfast love for us by remembering the price he paid to make us his own. Therefore, when we hear his voice, we can follow it, knowing that nothing can befall us that his loving shepherding does not allow.