BIBLICAL FATHERHOOD--THE GREAT NEED OF THE WORLD 8) THE SHEPHERDING FATHER IS THE LEADER OF HIS SHEEP.

Father, are you leading your sheep or are your sheep leading you?

Psalm 23:2 says, "He leadeth me beside the still waters." A good Eastern shepherd who leads his sheep will not lead them beside dangerous and roaring flood waters where they are likely to lose their footing and drown in the raging torrents. In this passage, the Good Shepherd is called the LEADER of His sheep. All fathers are shepherds and are called to be the leaders of their families.

In New Zealand, where I was raised, shepherds don't lead their sheep, the reason being that the flocks are generally large, often numbering thousands of sheep. The fields are fenced in order to contain and protect the sheep from straying. By the use of their trained dogs, the shepherds in New Zealand push their sheep from behind from one field to another or to a set of yards (pens, or sheds) where they shear the sheep or attend to their physical needs which are numerous. From this standpoint, my countrymen who own sheep farms have no personal relationship with their sheep, except for one or more that lose their mothers at birth. These are called pet lambs, are bottle-fed, and are often given a name.

However, Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, is likened to an Eastern Bedouin shepherd who goes in FRONT of his sheep and leads them to still waters and safe feeding pastures. Sheep who have a shepherd like the Middle Eastern Bedouin are indeed blessed.

John 10: 4 says, "And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice." From this statement we must conclude that the Shepherd speaks daily to His sheep. They know and trust His voice.

Father, are you speaking often to your children? Do they trust your voice? Are they following you?

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell