Read: John 10:1-18
Sheep are essentially helpless and as domesticated animals go, sheep are honestly pretty much the most helpless.
For instance, sheep can spend their entire day grazing in the pasture, going from place to place, never looking up causing them to often become lost.
In contrast, if you have a cat or dog that gets out of the house, what do they typically do? (besides run around) They typically eventually try to find their way home.
Sheep on the other hand don’t have this instinct like other animals do. They are totally incapable of finding their way to their sheep pen / fold even when it is in plain sight.
Sheep are also very susceptible to injury and cannot defend themselves against predators such as wolves. In ancient times and even today, wolves were/are the main predators of flocks of sheep.
Another interesting fact is that if different flocks of sheep somehow get mixed together at a watering hole or somewhere, the only way to separate the flock would be for a shepherd to call out to his sheep. Then, even as helpless and inattentive they are as animals, they would hear and recognize the shepherd's voice and follow him out amongst the other flocks.
The sheep knew the voice of the shepherd and the shepherd knew his sheep.
The shepherd was their safety and a true shepherd would go to great lengths to protect them when faced with danger, even giving their lives for the sake of the flock.
Shepherds were the providers, guides and protectors of the sheep and the sheep were completely dependent on the shepherd.
Read: Galatians 5:22-24, Romans 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 Timothy 1:15-17, Ecclesiastes 7:8, Romans 12:12, Galatians 6:9, Proverbs 14:29, Ephesians 4:2, Genesis 6:9-9:17, Psalm 145:8
They say patience is a virtue but if we’re honest, it’s not a virtue that many have or are working to develop. It’s definitely an area of growth!
1 Corinthians 13 says that love is patience but we have to ask ourselves… is our love patient?
We have to remember that we serve a God who is very patient with us and in turn through His example, we can learn to be more patient too as it is one of the Fruit of The Spirit that He wants to grow in and through us!
Here are a few examples of how He’s patient with us:
I remember the childhood appreciation shout that went...2-4-6-8 who do we appreciate!?
APPRECIATION. It seems to be a dying quality sometimes in an often negative world / environment.
The truth is that taking time to appreciate the people who God has placed in our lives is so important!
Whether it's a loved one, friend or coworker, we need to take time to simply appreciate...people.
A kind word of thanks or words of encouragement or affirmation can speak volumes to the receiver!
It doesn't Matter what personality type you think you are or whether you are a "people person" or not or even if you've never received appreciation or not, while these things may be tough and make it more challenging for us, you and I need to appreciate, value and even cherish the people around us... Especially true of the good people...because sometimes they can really be hard to to come by in this life...however you and I should be part of the "good people" category as we have the strength of, power of, wisdom of and relationship with The One who gave us life! Jesus Himself!
So, in turn...let us speak life giving words of appreciation and also do life giving actions of appreciation as well! You and I have the ability to do this...
So.... Let's regularly do this my friend!
Get R' Done! :)
In Christ,
rlk
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