I Just Wanna Be a Sheep. . . Or NOT!

Do you know this song?

It's a cute kids song and my kids love it and I love to sing it with them but you know, here's the thing. I'm not sure that God necessarily WANTS us to be like sheep. 

For a few years my family - okay my sister and I - raised baby lambs that were rejected by their mommies. And I do NOT want to be a sheep for SEVERAL reasons. 

1. They are STINKY and DIRTY! Maybe not as bad as pigs or chickens but they do have quite the odor! All of those cute sweet little pictures of white fleeced sheep - the only time I EVER saw a completely WHITE sheep was when it was a brand new baby who had not been in the barn yet. But consider this: 

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. Isaiah 64:6

2. They are STUPID! A sheep will truly seek the grass on the other side of the fence and use any and all means possible to get to that grass if they see a possibility. Many times I would come upon a sheep trying to push against a fence or getting their head completely caught in a fence or stuck in between a fence trying to get the "whatever" it was they wanted on the other side of the fence when everything they needed - food, water, safety, protection was already provided for them inside the fence and did not exist on the outside of the fence. Consider this: 

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6

3. They are NOT GOOD SHEPHERD FOLLOWERS! People often think that the sheep just simply follow the shepherd. NOT SO.  They follow whoever or whatever fancies them! They will follow the sheep in front of them. They will follow a dog. They will follow that patch of grass or that sniff of something. If the "head" sheep veers off somewhere so does the entire passle of them! When I wanted my sheep to come to me or follow me, it took CONTINUAL calling and HEARING MY VOICE (or the feed bucket!) to make them truly follow me. Consider this: 

When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. John 10:4

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. John 10: 27

With these things in mind - do YOU want to be a sheep? I know I don't! 

I want to be like the Shepherd!

But I am a sheep. 

I have so much in common with sheep. I am a sinner and sin is disgusting to God. I fall so short in my own wisdom and understanding. I seek things that are not good for me and I seek things that are not what God wants for me. I forget to follow Christ. It takes a constant redirect from the Holy Spirit to lead me. 

Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Psalm 27:11

So next time you hear the song about just wanting to be a sheep remember, if you are a believer and a child of God - you already ARE a sheep and you should be striving to be more like the Shepherd!  

In HIS Grip,