Be a Sheep Dog
The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. ––John 10:12-15
You’ve probably heard it: In this world, there are three kinds of people: sheep, wolves, and sheep dogs.
Most people in our society are sheep. Then there are wolves, and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy. Do you believe there are wolves out there who will feed on the flock without mercy? You better believe it. There is no safety in denial. Evil, Satan, and demons are not only real, intelligent, and intentional, they are also lethal to their targets.
Then there are also the sheepdogs. Have you ever been around a sheep dog? Most of them are huge, and quite hairy. They look like a man in a dog suit, actually. The ones that are actually trained to herd sheep are kind of goofy and playful—that is, until their flock is threatened. Then they become formidable beasts. Watch out, wolves.
If you have no capacity for violence, then you are a healthy and productive citizen, a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, they you have defined yourself as an aggressive sociopath, a wolf.
But what if you have a capacity for violence and a deep love for your fellow citizens? Hmm. What you have then is a sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is adaptable and able to push aside their fear and walk into the heart of darkness. Sheep dogs have the capacity to plunge into the universal human phobia and walk out unscathed—or, scathed, but victorious.
Identity is a choice—and alignment of the will, and a statement of purpose. An identity requires duty and responsibility to that identity. Choosing one’s identity mitigates the fear connected with the duties one discharges. God’s man is both dangerous and good, an awesome combination. That was Jesus. That is us.
God’s man is not out to win popularity contests among the sheep. He’s bent on one thing: dispossessing the wolf of his ability to harm the sheep.
Be a sheep dog.
Father, thank You that have called me to be a protector, a sheepdog, like Jesus.