Tale of a Sheepish Shepherdess

Herding sheep was never my idea of fun. But my experience helps me more deeply appreciate our Good Shepherd.

When I was 9, my family moved 60 miles away from the relatively civilized, well-watered suburbs of Boise, Idaho, to the vast, open, sparsely settled high desert near Mountain Home. The native vegetation was gray-green sagebrush and some grasses that grew well in the spring rains and then dried to a golden yellow as summer began. Crops could be grown in the area if they were irrigated; and that provided my father, a water well-driller, with work.

My parents had always considered teaching their children how to work to be a vital part of parenting. But now they had 40 acres’ (instead of 5 acres’) worth of work! The four of us kids were assigned a variety of chores. There were the house cleaning chores and the garden/yard work that we were used to. But in our new place, we also had a new chore.

I was a shepherdess

A small number of sheep moved with us to Mountain Home. Previously they had been kept in a small pasture. But to find enough to eat at our new home, they would need to roam—even beyond our 40 acres. We had a couple of neighbors; but for the most part, the wide, open areas adjacent to my parents’ property were unsettled and available for grazing animals. And so our small flock of sheep would leave their pen in the morning and return in the early afternoon when the heat of the day made the animals long for water and the shade of their barn.

Of course, they couldn’t be left unsupervised. There was the danger that they’d wander too far, and there was the danger of coyotes that would have loved to have a tasty meal of mutton! And so, a new chore was added to our summer schedule: shepherding. My little sister was too young at that point, but my older brother and sister and I each had a day or two a week when we had sheep for a chore.

I think my parents envisioned this job as an easy one! We could take a book and read—they said. We could take a blanket to sit on the ground. We could relax and daydream!

Even today when I tell people about my early occupation, they seem to think of it as idyllic, dreamy and pastoral. To me, that is a sign they don’t know sheep.

What our sheep were really like

The sheep didn’t want to stay near home. They’d wander far away. I’d sit on a rock and look longingly toward home in the distance. I could hear a few coyotes howl. And then howl again. Were they getting closer? My parents always said that as long as I was with the sheep, the coyotes would keep their distance. “They’re more afraid of you, than you are of them,” they said. I wasn’t completely convinced.

Also, the sheep didn’t stay put. I’d no sooner be settled and getting into my book, then one of the more dominant ewes would decide it was time to move on. And the others would blindly follow. There was no asking the sheep to wait until I was at the end of the page. No, I had to get up and follow them.

And the sheep didn’t always stay together. There was always at least one that was a bit more adventurous. I’d no sooner find my place in my book when this or that silly one would start to stray and would need to be headed back toward the rest of the flock.

Herding sheep was boring. It was lonely. It was not relaxing or fun. It was, in fact, my most dreaded chore.

My shepherding hours seemed to stretch for an eternity. On the other hand, my days with the other chores flew by, and quickly it was again my turn to take the sheep out!

God’s sheep

When I think of sheep, I do not think of the cute little lambs. (By the way, such cuteness lasts only a few short weeks!) I think of obnoxious, annoying sheep. I confess there have been many times I’ve thought, What does God see in sheep that they should be such an oft-used metaphor in the Bible? People are compared to sheep; and those who care for them are like shepherds.

I’ve concluded that one way of looking at the analogy is this: There are ways that we, like sheep, can drive our shepherds crazy. We often follow the examples of others even when they’re headed in the wrong direction. And like sheep we can wander and stray from the flock. Being shepherd to such a flock of sheep is not an easy or fun job, and I speak from experience!

But there’s a difference. You see, I wasn’t a good shepherdess. I really didn’t care about the flock. I followed them, whatever direction they might go. I didn’t lead them—except when it was time to go home! I didn’t spend any more time with them than I had to. I didn’t know them by name, and they didn’t know me. I didn’t look for areas that had lots of grass and take them there. And, while my mere presence might have scared off coyotes, had I been faced with an aggressive predator, I think I would have hightailed it for home!

I was like the hireling Christ referred to in John 10:12-13.

Yet what a wonderful Shepherd we can have! Jesus Christ is loving and kind to us, His sheep. He knows each of us individually. And His calling and leadership help us to follow His path. He cares about us, and He makes sure that we feed in good pasture and that we have clean, pure water. He watches over us and looks out for us—offering safety and protection from those who would make us prey.

He is the Good Shepherd (John 10:14-16). And at this time of the year, we remember that He laid down His very life for us (verse 11).

Becky Bennett now lives in Ohio with her husband, Mike, and two daughters.

See more posts by Becky Bennett:

• You Can’t Give Too Much Love!
• Give Thanks for Fleas?
• The Power of Positive Expectations and Encouragement