Of course this sermon was not about wildlife and their eating habits. It was metaphor for relationships. We are created to praise, worship, and honor our Creator, God. Blessedly, He allows us to have relationships with humans while we are on earth.
In my life currently, the majority of my relationships are with my church family. As a stay at home, I don't have co-workers. As an only child and one of only four cousins, I have pretty small family.
The sermon taught that shepherding was a humble, albeit, common job in bible times and was a concept that most would understand. Jesus referred to the church congregation as a flock and Himself as the Good Shepherd. He appoints pastors as shepherds, that have a heart like His, to tend His flock. The shepherd would show the sheep where to go and sleep, and he would protect the sheep from their desire to wander and outside prey, like wolves.
If the church is a flock, then that makes each member a sheep. This was not meant to insult, it was a way Jesus spoke to show that we do not understand the eternal as He does. We can't yet. He provides us with shepherds in the form of church leaders to humbly protect and train us. Disciple us.
We are sheep in the flock (church) God has put us with. And when one of our own flock hurts us with words or actions, IT REALLY HURTS! We expect it from the wolves. We may even forgive the wolf more quickly, love them more easily, and share Christ with them. But sheep. When they bite. It hurts. We feel they should know better.
Does anyone understand what I mean? Have you been there? Someone says or does something that seems so obviously meant to hurt you, and it did hurt you? Am I alone in this? I don't think I am because I have heard of church families breaking apart because of one hurtful word or action.
The take away I received from this sermon is that we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). The superlative nature of the word "all" includes those in our church family, not just the lost. We love them. We share life with them. Therefore, we are to be just as forgiving of the sheep as we are the wolves. We are called to show a measure of the grace we have received (Eph. 4:7) to ALL regardless of position in the world, sheep or wolves.
I just really liked the way the pastor put it that day and wanted to share it here. Sheep bites hurt. And when I feel the pain of a sheep bite, the take away I received that day is brought to mind. God has given me the strength over the years as I grow in spiritually maturity to shorten the time between "bite" and forgiveness. It is not of my will, but through Him.
Another great blog on SHEEP BITES from a different perspective.
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