Lynn Mosher

Encouraging the Heart~Uplifting the Soul

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All We Like Sheep

March 26, 2009 By Lynn H Mosher

Sheep intrigue me. I started a small collection of little sheep figurines. The ones found in a crèche set. I love them. I place them around a shepherd that looks like he might have been David with a precious lamb wrapped around his shoulders. I always think of him as Jesus carrying me.

The figurines have different looks on their tiny faces and they stand in different positions, some look up adoringly at the shepherd and some graze at his feet. Reminds me of how I place myself at Jesus’ feet.

If we compare sheep’s characteristics with those of humans, we’ll find they are very similar. No wonder Jesus lovingly calls us His sheep.

I thought it would be fun to take the next few posts and look at some of the shared characteristics.

The first characteristic is…drum roll, please! Ta-dah!

Sheep are not very intelligent!

Actually, they are notoriously dumb! They have the IQ of a rubber tree plant! Because of this brain deficiency, they are the only herd-type animal that require a custodian or guardian to give them constant care and supervision 24/7. A shepherd must commit his whole life to watching over his flock.

Because they have a strong instinct to follow a leader, when one sheep decides to wander off, the rest of the flock usually follows, no matter where it takes them. For example, if the lead sheep jumps over a cliff, the others will more than likely follow.

Because of their lack of intelligence, they…

…are not trainable…

They also need constant supervision because they are not trainable. You’ll never see them in the circus doing tricks on command, like the silly image above.

Though they are not teachable, they will do the exact thing that the one in front of them does. For instance, I read that, if you hold a stick in front of the first sheep in a line and it jumps over the stick, the rest of the flock will mindlessly follow suit, leaping over the stick, even when it is taken away!

Because they are not trainable, pain and punishment have little or no effect on their behavior because they have no memory and do not learn from their mistakes. They keep doing the same dumb things over and over.

…will wander off, go astray, and, with no sense of direction, get into trouble.

And since they will senselessly follow the one in front of them, they will all wander off in any direction and probably get into trouble. Therefore, with no sense of direction, if one sheep wanders off and gets lost, the rest of the flock will follow right along, even if the sheep jumps over a cliff.

As people…

Please don’t get the wrong idea. I don’t mean people are as dumb as rubber tree plants, but sometimes I wonder about the things we humans do! Sometimes, I don’t think we learn. We do the same dumb things over and over, going around, as some say, the same ol’ mountain again and again. It takes a while for us to be trained, if at all. If we could just learn a lesson the first time around, we wouldn’t suffer some of the same consequences.

This is why we need a guardian for constant care, just as the sheep do.

We have a strong instinct to follow a leader, but we need to make sure it is the right Leader. We will wander off aimlessly and follow the flock right over the cliff if we do not listen to the Shepherd’s voice and follow His footsteps.

With no sense of direction, we will always pick the wrong way without the Shepherd. We will continue to go astray and get lost.

The disciple Peter recognized that we all need the true Shepherd. Having known Him himself, Peter wrote, “Like sheep you wandered away from God, but now you have returned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:25a TLB)

* Do you repeat the same mistakes over and over?
* Have you wandered off aimlessly and lost your way?
* Or do you listen to the Shepherd’s voice and follow in His footsteps?

May you be blessed with the Great Shepherd’s constant care.

~~Blessings, Lynn~~

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20 Comments

Comments

  1. MistiPearl says

    March 27, 2009 at 6:40 am

    Great post Lynn!

    …And I believe this is the third time this morning that I have come across this concept, (from bloggers I greatly respect), of listening to our Shepherd! – Some days one would think that the Lord is trying to get my attention! 😉

    Smiles and blessings to you!
    ~mp:)

    Reply
  2. Billy Coffey says

    March 27, 2009 at 8:24 am

    Yes, this describes me perfectly. There have been times when I’ve wandered away from my Shepherd. Thankfully, He always knows where to look for me…

    Great post, Lynn!

    Reply
  3. Mari says

    March 27, 2009 at 2:04 pm

    will wander off, go astray, and, with no sense of direction, get into trouble.

    Yeah that’s me. At least I’ve learned to call to my Shephard 🙂 What a wonderful post Lynn. You are always so insightful!

    Reply
  4. Lucy Ann Moll says

    March 27, 2009 at 9:04 pm

    Lynn,

    Did you know sometimes I “baa, baa” a prayer? I really say “baa, baa.” This isn’t another language, like when the Spirit came upon the apostles in Acts. It’s my way (once in a while) to recognize my Shepherd and my “sheep-ness” — dumb, goes astray easily, trouble-making, blond. From a blaaaand!:D

    Reply
  5. lynnmosher says

    March 27, 2009 at 9:08 pm

    Hey, Misti! So good to see you. It’s funny how the Lord does those things, isn’t it? He’s been doing that to me on another subject. Blessings to you, dear one.

    Reply
  6. lynnmosher says

    March 27, 2009 at 9:10 pm

    Hey, dear Billy-boy! LOL! You’re so right. Have done the same myself. I think I’d rather have a leash attached so I wouldn’t wander so far and He could just give it a good yank once in a while! LOL! Blessings to you!

    Reply
  7. lynnmosher says

    March 27, 2009 at 9:11 pm

    Mari, Mari! Thank you so much, sweetie. I appreciate it. You bless me! Be blessed!

    Reply
  8. lynnmosher says

    March 27, 2009 at 9:12 pm

    Lucy, You are such a hoot! I love that. I’ll have to remember that and do the same. Bless you!

    Reply
  9. Lorrie says

    March 27, 2009 at 10:21 pm

    I think the image of Jesus as our Shepherd is my favorite. It seems the more I learn the more I realize what a dumb ole sheep I am! Thankfully, He cares for me 🙂

    Blessings Lynn ♥

    Reply
  10. lynnmosher says

    March 27, 2009 at 10:25 pm

    Lorrie, I agree. I think the image of Jesus as Shepherd is my favorite, too. Thank you again for being a faithful follower! Blessings!

    Reply
  11. conarnold says

    March 28, 2009 at 3:50 pm

    Thanks for another great post, Lynn! God certainly speaks through you in what you post. I certainly feel like a sheep at times and am so very thankful to have a Shepherd to care for us and lead us in the right direction!

    Reply
  12. Alli Worthington {@alliworthington} says

    March 28, 2009 at 6:06 pm

    I fight my sheep leanings daily! 🙂

    Reply
  13. Alli Worthington {@alliworthington} says

    March 28, 2009 at 6:06 pm

    I fight my sheep leanings daily! 🙂

    Reply
  14. Alli Worthington {@alliworthington} says

    March 28, 2009 at 6:06 pm

    I fight my sheep leanings daily! 🙂

    Reply
  15. ruth at comfort cafe says

    March 30, 2009 at 1:18 am

    Great insights. Loved your comments on sheep. I like sheep, too, like you. Hate to admit it, but I do believe I fully can identify with a silly sheep. Baa…

    Reply
  16. lynnmosher says

    March 30, 2009 at 1:56 pm

    Thank you, Connie, for your sweet comments. I so appreciate your friendship. Blessings to you!

    Reply
  17. lynnmosher says

    March 30, 2009 at 1:57 pm

    LOL! Lorrie, I feel the same way. Thank you for being a great cheerleader! Be blessed!

    Reply
  18. lynnmosher says

    March 30, 2009 at 2:00 pm

    Alli, You’re so sweet to take time to read my blog! Thanks for leaving a comment. And I cannot imagine you being a stubborn lamb! LOL! Blessings!

    Reply
  19. lynnmosher says

    March 30, 2009 at 2:02 pm

    Hey, Ruth! Thanks so much for stopping by. I’m honored. So glad to see you. Hope you are well. Been meaning to send you something. Blessings to you!

    Reply
  20. Sharon Ball says

    March 31, 2009 at 8:23 pm

    Just call me a wanderer, Lynn. I’m so glad my Shepard never sleeps or rests because I’d probably have wander off a cliff by now. Goodness!

    Reply

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