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Shepherds, Sheep Dogs, Wolves and Sheep


When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:36)

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.( John 10:11)

            In Dallas Willard's book, Hearing God[1], he wrote about the difference between a shepherd and a sheep dog. I'm going to add a wolf to the analogy.
            The shepherd, especially in Biblical times, walked ahead of the sheep, calling to them. They followed him. They were led by his voice as a result of their relationship to him. The professor wrote that the sheep dog "forcibly maneuvers the sheep." It runs after the sheep, barking and snapping if necessary in order to keep the flock together and doing at is dictates. The wolf attacks the sheep. They may act as if they are being herded, or they may scatter. Injury and death are common.
         For the professor, these are types for leaders in the Church. For some, leading means speaking and living the Word of God. For some, leading means nipping at the heels of the sheep and keeping them in order and headed in the desired direction. For a few, leading means commanding and generating fear. I have been told that part of the reason for Church membership is so that Church discipline can be imposed. "Do what you're told or else... you're out!"
        I'm not writing this in order to criticize the leadership or either Church or society, because the truth of the matter is, the sheep are a big part of the equation. Are you the sort of sheep who seeks out the Word of the Chief Shepherd, who attends to the Word spoken through the shepherd of the flock of which you are part? Or, are you the sort of sheep who only listens when sheep dogs are snapping at your heals and barking - when the service is exciting, or moving. Is the sermon enough, or do you need a multi-media performance with warm-up band, mood lighting? Or, do you only pay attention when events out in the world have you trembling?
            What type of sheep do you want to be? Consider the amount of time you spend outside the church service reading, studying, or memorizing the Word of God and praying. I suspect that those who do these things most are sheep who follow shepherds, and those who do these things least are sheep running from wolves. Those who want the excitement of the sheep dogs, I suspect, are closer to the averages in those areas.


[1] Willard, Dallas, Hearing God: Developing A Conversational Relationship with God (Downer's Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), p 81.

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