What Kind of “Sheep” are You?

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. — Psalm 23:1–3 (NIV)

No Psalm is better known or better loved than Psalm 23, which probably owes its origin (at least humanly speaking) to David’s boyhood years as a shepherd. But has it become so familiar to us that we have forgotten its riches?

Look at the verses above. They tell us first of all that God is like a shepherd to us—guiding us, keeping us safe, protecting us from our enemies, giving us everything we need to sustain our lives. But they also hint at our tendency to wander and get in trouble, like the lost sheep in one of Jesus’ parables (see Luke 15:17). And so He “makes” us lie down in green pastures, and He “leads” us to quiet waters—things we might not do on our own.

What kind of “sheep” are you? Rebellious, prone to wander, resisting the gentle prodding of the Shepherd? Or gratefully submitting to His wisdom and His ways? Remember Jesus’ words: “I am the good Shepherd; I know my sheep and My sheep know Me” (John 10:14).

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Your Turn

Consider Dr. Graham’s questions above. What kind of sheep are you? In what ways is the Shepherd leading you? ~ Devotionals Daily