The metaphor of sheep and shepherd keeps cropping up in Jesus’ teachings.
When I first noticed this, it almost seemed offensive. After all, people keep telling me that sheep are rather stupid, and without a shepherd they’d quickly devolve into chaos.
OK, that’s maybe a little more accurate than I had hoped.
But the important thing about this analogy is that the shepherd leads and protects the sheep. And that speaks to the spiritual battle we’re all going through, where we are pretty clueless. Self-direction doesn’t work that well.
For me, I look to a range of spiritual leaders and models in this world. I’m still learning how to read and internalize the Bible, so I look to those who seem to do that well.
Because I believe that God speaks to all of us, each in a different voice. Which means that we’re on this journey to help each other, to strive toward our collective salvation in heaven.
It appears that’s the kind of support and leadership and protection God wants for all of us.