I have always had a bit of a fascination with wolves. I love to see pictures of wolves, read quotes about wolves, and wish I could have one as a pet, if he would agree to not eat me! I have a few favorite wolf quotes that I have always liked. One of them is, “The tiger and the lion may be more powerful, but the wolf does not perform in the circus”. Another is, “Be the Alpha wolf among all the copy cats”. I have always liked, “It never troubles the wolf how many the sheep may be”. My newest wolf quote is, “Everyone wants to be a wolf until it’s time to do what wolves do”. I think I like wolves because they are cool looking and they are mysterious. A wolf may be beautiful, but he is far from being soft. He may appear to be gentle, but can quickly become ferocious. And, he is equally fierce when alone as he is when among the pack.
We can probably learn a few things from the wolf but throughout scripture God instructs us to be like sheep. We are also told to be aware of the false prophets who come to us in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are fierce wolves.
Why would He consistently tell us to be like sheep, when the wolf is so much stronger, independent, and fierce. Why doesn’t He want us to be fierce when confronting wrongdoing in the world and why does He not want us to gain all our strength from the pack? After all, everyone is afraid of a pack of wolves but nobody runs from a herd of sheep. However, if you look closely at the sheep you will notice some characteristics that are much like humans. They are stubborn animals who are prone to stray towards anything that draws their attention. They are also very unpredictable and demanding animals who are totally dependent on humans for food and protection. But in God’s eyes, sheep are special. In Matthew 18:10-14 Jesus tells a story of a man who owned 100 sheep but one of them wandered away and was lost. Jesus says the man left the ninety-nine and searched for the one that was lost and rejoiced when it was found. We are special to Him! In Matthew 9, Jesus says as He traveled through the villages and towns and saw the people, He had pity on them because, “They were like sheep without a shepherd”. He wants to be our shepherd! And, most important of all, in John 10:14-15 He tells us that Jesus is the good shepherd and the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep and the sheep know Him.
A sheep may not realize it but he is totally dependent on humans for survival. He needs a human to provide a pasture to graze, a watchful eye while he rests, and a sheep will search for the comfort of a human when in pain. Sounds very much like us doesn’t it? I prayed today and asked God to be my Good Shepherd. Though the wolf may be more ferocious, the sheep lives safely under the shepherd’s constant watch.
Chad
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