Jonathan Munson, Executive Director
“When He saw the crowds, He was deeply moved with compassion for them, because they were troubled and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:36
Without a shepherd, sheep can put themselves in a precarious position.
For example…
In 2005, a sheep in Turkey jumped off a 164-foot cliff. Following the actions of this one ‘daredevil’ sheep, the remaining 1499 sheep also threw themselves off the cliff. Tragically, a total of 450 sheep were killed. In a bizarre turn of events, the rest of the sheep survived only because they landed on the fluffy pile of sheep who’d jumped ahead of them. (To read more about the story, click here.)
You might wonder, “Where were the shepherds while the sheep went cliff-diving?”
Answer: They had stepped away to eat breakfast.
This true and somewhat humorous story makes an obvious point: sheep need a shepherd.
And so do we.
Which leads me to how Jesus describes the crowds in Jerusalem. He looks past their outward appearance and assesses the spiritual condition of their hearts, describing them as “sheep without a shepherd.”
Now, imagine for a moment that you were standing in that crowd and Jesus looked at you.
What would He say about your life?
Would He say that you are a “sheep without a shepherd?”
Perhaps you’d try to refute Jesus’ assessment by reminding Him of what you believe.
For instance, you believe “Jesus is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). You agree with the prophet, Isaiah, that “all of us like sheep have gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6) and therefore, you’ve trusted Jesus to be your Savior and Shepherd. Amen.
And yet…while your lips declare, “Jesus is my Shepherd,” your life tells a different story.
Author Paul Tripp talks about the difference between our formal theology (what we say we believe) and our functional theology (the beliefs we live out in our everyday lives). Unfortunately, there is often a significant discrepancy between our formal and functional theology.
Formally, we believe Jesus is our Shepherd. In reality, however, we (not Jesus) function as the shepherds of our lives.
For the most part, we go through our week without Him. Sure, we might go to church and say our prayers, but practically, Jesus has little to no influence over our daily choices and behavior. We’ve confined Him to a tiny area of our lives. And, while we think we’re doing a pretty good job of managing our lives without Him, we don’t realize we’re slowly walking toward a cliff.
Consider the first verse from the beloved 23rd Psalm: “The Lord is my Shepherd” (Psalm 23:1). Warren Wiersbe explains that this famous verse can be translated: “The Lord is shepherding me.” This translation reminds us that “shepherding” implies ongoing, continuous action. It means the Lord is actively leading and guiding our lives, moment by moment.
When we let Jesus shepherd us, we trade aimless striving for Divine direction. Our souls are at rest, even when the road is difficult. Though we walk through a valley, we’re not overwhelmed by fear. Instead, we walk with assurance, not because we know what’s next, but simply because the Shepherd is by our side.
Honestly…can you say that Jesus is “shepherding” you through this current season of life?
If you feel like you’ve been functioning as your own shepherd, I have good news.
Rather than running away from you in disappointment, Jesus runs toward you in love.
Just as He did for the people in Jerusalem that day, the Lord has compassion on shepherd-less sheep.
You see, He knows each of His sheep by name (John 10:3). So, that means He sees you.
He knows where you’ve been and what lies ahead and is fully capable of carrying you through it.
So, let this be a call to surrender. Not a one-time moment, but a daily rhythm of declaring: “Lord Jesus, come and shepherd me. I belong to You.”
DIG DEEPER
Read “What Does It Mean That The Lord Is My Shepherd?” on GotQuestions.org
