In the Bible, we are given a metaphor for our relationship with the Most High and His Messiah. That image is of sheep and their Shepherd. A very apt analogy indeed. But like all biblical imagery, it is important not to take it too far. And very dangerous when we do.

What has destroyed our discipleship, most of all has been our view of ourselves as sheep.

When we are being compared to and associated with our Saviour, we are sheep, and He is our Shepherd. This is right and proper. But when, addressing ourselves one to another, in comparing us with our fellows, we are not supposed to be seeing ourselves as sheep. The Bible describes us as very peculiar animals.

We are to walk as lions. To be shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves. We are to follow the wolves and to soar like eagles.

We are intended to be strange beasts indeed. Creatures like no other. Bearing the best traits of every animal and behaving better than dumb beasts.

Sadly, however, we elect all too often to simply be sheep… Not sheep following our Shepherd either, but sheep following other sheep.

And so we have been slowly devoured by the wolves that follow after us, picking us off one by one…And wearing our wool, we let them wander in and out among us and even allow them to lead us.

Be careful how you see yourself and your fellows. Be wary what sort of beast you believe yourself and them to be like. As we see ourselves so we will behave. If we are sheep to our Saviour, we will be cared for. But if we are sheep to eachother we will be lead every which away, wander off to our destruction and be consumed by the carnivores and cannibals among us pretending to be just like us.

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