There is something so special about the relationship between a farmer and his livestock.

 

I now no longer live on a farm, but when I return to my parents’ place and assist my dad in the barn – I’m not as big of an asset as I used to be. You see when I was working on the farm regularly, not only did I know our herd of cattle, but they knew me.

 

Jesus understood this dynamic; he used the same analogy with sheep when he was addressing the Pharisees. He said in John 10:14, “I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me.”

 

The cattle at my dad’s farm know him, and they trust him. Jesus, of course, is referring to us – we are his sheep. I can’t tell you the number of times cattle have broken fences and we’ve had to lure them back to safety. Think about how many times Jesus has done that in your life. The problem is often that we don’t realize he’s the one bringing us back to pasture.

 

We don’t give him credit as the good shepherd that he is. When we do, we realize that he knows us; and knows us so well that he gave up his life for us, which was the only way to save us. Are you living obediently to the good shepherd?