I Am the Good Shepherd

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep."

John 10:11

Have you ever been asked the icebreaker question, “What is your spirit animal?” It often sparks fun conversations, as we try to pinpoint characteristics that resonate with our personalities and life journeys. I've heard people say a wise owl, a courageous lion, or an independent cat, to name just a few. We naturally choose an animal based on traits that we admire or aspire to embody.

I don't believe I've ever heard someone say that their spirit animal is a sheep. That isn't all that surprising since sheep have a reputation for not being the brightest animals. Sheep are defenseless and dependent. They are easily frightened and confused and have been known to plunge straight off the edge of a cliff in a panic or simply because they wandered away from the flock and got lost.

Sheep are named in the Bible more than any other animal, and we are often compared to sheep in Scripture. David, the psalmist and a shepherd, used this analogy repeatedly. In Psalm 100:3, he said, “We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” Psalm 79:13 says, “We, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, will give You thanks forever.” And in Psalm 23, David said, “The Lord is my shepherd…”

God compares us to sheep in His Word so often because He wants to communicate a very important truth to us. He wants us to know that we are designed to need a guide in life. He also gave us a picture of what love, care, guidance, and protection look like in the image of a Shepherd taking care of His flock.

"The fourth "I Am" saying is found in the Gospel of John, where Jesus says, "I am the Good Shepherd. The shepherd lays down his life for his sheep." (John 10:11)

“I am the good shepherd, I know My own sheep, and they know Me, as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father.” (John 10:14-15)

This verse paints a beautiful image of the relational significance between the Father and the Son, and between the Shepherd and His flock. It is a relationship of complete dependence, one begun by relying upon the sound of the Shepherd’s voice. “My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27) A sheep need only follow His voice and stay in His presence to be in a safe place where it can thrive.

It is the same with us and Jesus.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd of Psalm 23 and does much more than even David described in his writing. Not only is He constantly present with us, leading us and comforting us, He also gave His life for the sake of His sheep. This is most unlike the hired hand (John 10:12). A hired hand does not receive his livelihood from the flock of sheep, so when danger comes, he is the first to flee. The Good Shepherd, however, will defend his own, even unto death. Jesus does this for us on the cross (John 10:15-18).

When we trust and follow any other voice, we are easily led astray, rejected, and left alone. We all need a Good Shepherd, and only Jesus is qualified to meet that need.

In a world where it’s easy to get lost, let us anchor ourselves in the truth. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, knows each of us by name and loves us so deeply that He gave His life so that we may live. As we walk through the many valleys of life, may we always remember to seek His voice through the Word and prayer, to follow Him, and to recognize what a privilege it is to be His sheep.