Much has been said about the difference between the shepherd of the old countries especially the middle east and the western tradition of sheep herding. At Christmas time we are reminded that The Christ is known as the good shepherd and his sheep follow his voice as the sheep follow a shepherd. I love the analogy and have concluded many insightful things from it about how we can be better leaders of our families, church, community etc…
I would like to ponder for a few moments about another aspect that has been in the back of my mind every time this subject comes up. The sheep! You see when we discuss the leadership ideas associated with leading verses driving a group of sheep we always focus on the leaders and the way they are doing the job. We always conclude that the sheep herder is the lesser of the two because he is behind the sheep pushing them, and the shepherd is the greater because he is out in front leading them. I agree that this is a great teaching story for us but did anybody ever interview the sheep? In fact how many people in today’s world can tell the difference between a sheep and a goat?
I once had a flock of sheep that were trained to my voice and they truly did know my voice and would follow no other person. It was gratifying and entertaining to call the sheep with success and then have somebody else try and the sheep would completely ignore them.
I also have had herds of sheep that I would drive and they did not know my voice nor any persons voice. These sheep behaved differently than the flock that was small and close together. These sheep were more weary and less trusting. To tame one of these sheep was close to impossible but not completely. They would stick together ignoring me and in fact preferring that I was not there. It seemed that the sheep from the sheep herd had no friend they were just there, just existed as property, as an animal. The sheep from the shepherds flock was a tame sheep with personality and a mind of it’s own almost showing human-like characteristics to a small degree. Still a sheep but like a pet sharing companionship and life together.
It is difficult to interview a sheep! It really is! Try it some time. I have spent countless hours with sheep in almost every way. I have watched over them with a rifle to protect them from predators who were present. I have organized them into genetic groups to supervise their mating. I have helped the ewes give birth and the lambs to thrive. I have organized the land into pastures to create the most productive forages for their nutritional needs. I have shorn countless sheep for their valuable wool, skirted the fleece, washed it, carded it, spun it into yarn and wore the garments my mother transformed into clothing for me. I have fed them hay, hauled thousands of gallons of water for them to drink, I have built barns for them to be sheltered when they are vulnerable. I have sat for thousands of short moments just watching them to see that the whole flock was eating and the none of them were sick. I have sat under a shade tree with them as they lie there chewing their cud while I ate my lunch. Sheep are good companions. All of them. The ones when I was a shepherd and the ones when I was a herder. I have talked to the sheep on many occasions. I guess that is part of life, doing things that are right at the time and in the moment but that you don’t really bring up in conservation when you are in a class at school. People talk to their dogs all the time but for some reason I would as a student hesitate to tell my class mates about my fine conversations with the flock.
I honestly don’t know if I can do sheep the justice they deserve as Gods gentle and innocent creation that they are in this feeble attempt to represent their perspective of a debate that they are so involved in with or without their consent. The only other person I know of who has spoken for the sheep is the cartoonist Gary Larsen In his Far Side where a bold Maverick stands up and proclaims: “We don’t have to be just sheep!” So I join the ranks with Gary and try my art to be spokesmen for the flock.
This is not a cartoon. This is not even supposed to be humorous though I’m afraid it may be nothing more. This is supposed to be a debate that there is more on the table than the eye has seen or the heart has yet felt. We speak of the need for great leadership in the world. Leaders of men. Leaders of nations, organizations, companies, and movements for the welfare of those who lack. But in the attempt for great leadership we overlook the followers. We forget the sheep because we needed to become such great shepherds. The analogy is great in the setting of a class but who is with the flock when the class is in session? It has been accurately stated that the universities are full of those who are continually learning but never come to a knowledge of the truth. I do not want this to be the case with the sheep or the people in our lives. We need shepherds who are part of the flock who stay with the flock who never leave for anything ever! Always present, protecting, watching, helping, caring, not leaving to try to become a better shepherd and not “philosophizing” all the time about how to be a better leader. Just being there day after long hard day watching over the flock keeping the wolves away. All the sheep herders I have ever known were these kind of leaders!
I have lived and experienced amazing things with sheep. The shepherds sheep and the herders sheep were both still sheep happy to eat, grow wool, have lambs, and produce meat for man, happy to follow or to be driven, obedient always and submissive to whichever form of government I afflicted upon them. I remember a time many, many years ago as I sat watching the young lambs playing in the early evening as the sky was turning scarlet and the clouds were reflecting golden sunlight into a glorious sunset. I had a moment of heavenly influence when I saw the last ray of sunshine for the day come down upon the flock. It shown for a moment on the lambs as they raced past the golden beam in a playful stampede. The light reflected from their backs and heads and lit them up in a contrast of light and darkness that I cannot describe with the English language. This was one of the most beautiful moments of my life. I thought in my young mind that there is nothing in this universe that could be more glorious than to be a keeper of sheep! Now with four children of my own I pray daily that I may also be a good shepherd.
