Wednesday, January 15, 2025
The Good Shepherd
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11 NLT)
In Jesus’ day, religious and political leaders were sometimes called shepherds. Jesus wanted His followers to recognize that some shepherds aren’t what they appear to be. After Jesus healed a blind man on the Sabbath, the religious leaders hounded, intimidated, and threatened the man and his family. They wanted the family to support their lie that Jesus didn’t actually heal the man.
These leaders, who were supposed to be shepherds, cared nothing about the sheep in their flock. They were quick to mistreat them when it suited their needs.
Jesus used the image of a sheep pen to help people recognize the difference between a shepherd (leader) who deserves to be followed and an imposter. A good shepherd gains entry to the flock the right way: through the door. He earns the right to lead. He proves himself worthy with his compassion, concern, and courage. He sacrifices his own well-being for the sake of others. He treats his leadership position as a sacred responsibility.
Fake shepherds get their positions in other ways. They use their connections. They dazzle people with their education and credentials. They lie and manipulate. They intimidate and threaten. They make bold power plays. They do whatever it takes to satisfy their ambition.
Fake shepherds take an impersonal attitude toward those who follow them. Often, their focus is on the size of their flock and not the individual sheep. A good shepherd “calls his own sheep by name” (verse 3 NLT). He has a personal connection with the individuals who follow him. He concerns himself with their specific needs. He understands that one leadership style will not necessarily fit all.
Fake shepherds drive their flocks. They make them bend to their will. A good shepherd leads his flock. He inspires confidence and loyalty by spending time among them and making his heart known.
Jesus said, “After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice” (verse 4 NLT). If we follow Jesus, we have to know His voice. We have to know what He said—and what He didn’t say. There are a lot of fake shepherds who try to speak for Him. They’ll tell us which causes Jesus wants us to support, which issues He wants us to oppose, who He wants us to vote for, what He wants us to do with our money, and where He wants us to send our payments.
If we don’t know His voice—if we don’t know the truth about His words—we risk being led in the wrong direction. We learn to recognize Jesus’ voice by studying God’s Word, memorizing His teachings, and applying them to our daily decision-making.
Finally, Jesus said, “The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep” (verse 11 NLT). Jesus sacrificed His life to save us. He proved Himself to be the Good Shepherd. We have everything to gain, and nothing to lose, by following Him.
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