Trust The Good Shepherd
Following directions is easy and hard.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who follow directions and those who have fun.
Just kidding! I’ve had my fair share of moments ignoring directions to my regret (picture an IKEA bookshelf I assembled upside down).
Some people thrive on instructions. Follow the playbook, and you get the expected results. Compliance leads to predictable outcomes.
For others, directions feel like chains. Freedom comes from breaking them.
I would argue the core motivation for obeying or ignoring instructions is the same.
Both place a high value on control.
The garden of autonomy.
In the US, autonomy is the holy grail of personal and professional life. It means you’re in the driver’s seat, making decisions that shape your future without someone else’s hand on the wheel, but it comes with a price. You can’t esteem autonomy and expect a free ride.
Responsibility, accountability, and submission to authority are like guardrails for the downsides of independence. The temptation of autonomy without authority goes back to the garden.
In Eden, God created a perfect garden for Adam and Eve to tend, where he made free choice a reality. He could have kept temptation away for all eternity, blocking the tempter from ever entering the garden (here’s what Jesus says about different temptations and how to best handle them). The Lord God was the one who created the tree with the forbidden fruit with one rule, “Don’t eat.”
Instead, he allowed the tempter to paint a picture of life without him to be more desirable than a life with him. Choice was his idea.
Did God not know that Adam would take a bite of the fruit that Eve handed to him? Could God not predict that Eve would fall for the lie from the serpent that if they ate the forbidden fruit, they would not die but be like God? Why did God not intervene? Obedience requires options. Genuine love demands real choice.
Who is your shepherd?
God loved his people so much that he gave his son to be our Savior, Lord, and King, aka our Shepherd. Every person is granted autonomy in choosing who their shepherd will be. We all have a shepherd, but the question is, who or what is your shepherd?
Shepherd and Shadows.
One of the most familiar passages of Scripture is Psalm 23. David wrote it as a prayer for facing the reality of life on earth and a prophecy speaking to the future Savior, Jesus. However, the comforting familiarity can clip its convicting impact.
A shepherd gives guidance and grace, while shadows represent fears and tests. The Bible often compares humans to sheep. Whether we like it or not, sheep would not survive without a shepherd. Consider each line of this prayer to evaluate your relationship with the Lord as your shepherd.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
He makes me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:1-6).
He is the Shepherd. I am the sheep.
Sheep do not tell the shepherd what to do or where to go.
Sheep are short and short-sighted. They are smart but have limited understanding.
Shepherds have knowledge that sheep know nothing about. They see the warnings of potential threats and the blessings of green meadows and quiet waters and guide accordingly.
A shepherd’s guidance is not a suggestion. He’s not our plan B when life doesn’t work out as we pictured it. We can’t expect grace for the shadows without surrendering our lives to his guidance (here’s how to choose Jesus as the ruler of your life).
A good shepherd knows his sheep, and the sheep know his voice.
Jesus said, “I am that good shepherd” (see John 10:14).
Live for his name’s sake.
Like a parent who forgets the middle child, I tend to skim this line too quickly: “He guides me on paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” True allegiance requires two options: who will be your authority? Often, my most significant competitor in choosing Jesus as my shepherd is myself. I like to be in control.
“The Lord is my shepherd” is not a passive prayer to receive comfort in my time of need. It’s a decision to bring my life under the authority of the Lord Jesus.
Walking paths of righteousness is his path, not mine. To make his name great, not mine.
He is the Shepherd. We are the sheep.
Choose it, and surely, goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life!