Leadership of Trust

This coming Sunday is typically called "Shepherd Sunday". The readings speak of Jesus' loving guidance that calls us into a fold that will trust and follow His voice. It is true that people do have a herding instinct. This is proven anytime you witness the way people act in a crowd...especially when the crowd is faced with something pleasant (or fearsome) that generates an adrenaline flow. Consider the crowd at a baseball game as it ripples in the form of "the wave" or the idea of people streaming away from all pigs because some virus has been related to "swine" -- you get the picture -- it takes only a few moving determinedly in a particular direction to get a herd going.

One of my friends, Connie, is a shepherd. She is deep in lambing season...her farm is literally a nursery, with new lambs appearing every night. Connie recently told me about an extraordinary ewe and the effect she has had upon the herd.

Sheep tend to be skittish...they alarm easily and are not particularly trusting. They do glomb together in a herd, but it is generally not a "calm" herd. One particular ewe in Connie's flock was initially one of the weak ones, and required a bit more handling than usual. The ewe became accustomed to Connie's voice and touch as it healed. Now, years later, as the ewe is pregnant and approaching delivery, she leans into Connie for extra measures of affection. A bit of patting here, and a bit of scratching between the ears or under the chin have become some of the ewe's favorite things (highly unusual for most sheep!!!!!)

Now here is the extraordinary part -- Connie has noticed that some of the other sheep who have not been accustomed to human touch are gathering around the ewe to "see" what this gal is up to!!!!!! The trust that the ewe models in the presence of the shepherd has served to lead the others into a space where they, too, can linger without fear.

There are many people around us who keep Christ and the Church at an arm's distance. When you hear His voice and you follow...when you lean into His embrace for healing, counsel and guidance, you may be serving others by leading them into a relationship where they (perhaps for the first time in their loves) can also hear and TRUST the voice of the Good Shepherd.