Articles
The Shepherd and the Farmer
In Psalm 23, the relationship between the Lord and His people is compared to a shepherd who guides his sheep. Jesus in Luke 13:34 compares Himself to a mother hen who provides safety for her brood under her wing. The Bible uses these farm animals to describe God’s relationship to His children and they have more in common than you might suspect.
Psalm 23:1-3 reads, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (ESV). Both sheep and chickens are vulnerable animals who like to curiously wander off to fulfill their insatiable appetites. Thus, a farmer will make sure they do not stray out of his sight. God knows that without guidance our own desires in this world would lead us astray. Wisely He has given us the Bible to feed our souls and guide us back to Him.
The farmer will also provide a home with additional food and water to make sure his animals have everything they need to be fruitful. The more wool and eggs the animals produce the more the farmer benefits. Likewise, the more fruitful works we accomplish for God the more His glory will spread. God blesses His people with all they need in order to be spiritually and physically successful in this life (Matt. 4:4). Our responsibility is to be content with His provisions and use them to serve Him to the best of our ability. Trusting God instead of working against Him is the key to living a life deeply-rooted in righteousness.
The last three verses of Psalm 23 show the strength you can have in life while abiding with Christ. These three verses say, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (ESV). The interesting thing with prey animals, like chicken and sheep, is that they know dangers exist, but many times they are too enthralled on their momentary desires to notice the predators watching them. We like to think we are smarter than these animals, but we can be the same. Often our fleeting temptations distract us from the sin that’s hurting our relationship with God. For this reason God has to rescue us from sin with His grace and forbearance—like a shepherd using his rod to fight back predators.
After defeating the enemies, a sheep or chicken farmer has the choice to either guide the lost animal back or let it succumb to the enemy. We are blessed to have a God that protects and guides us back through our valleys of death. Shepherds guide by way of their staff, poultry men carry the birds themselves, and God does this for us by using the Bible. Similarly to the father of the prodigal son in Luke 15, God rejoices and prepares the table for us when we come back to Him. God wants us to remain safe at home with Him for eternity. Even if we walk away, He is willing to guide us back home—but only if we let Him. God says He is willing to be our shepherd and will make us worthy to be in His flock. As children of God, are we willing to let God watch over us? Do we listen for His voice and see all the blessings that He bestows on us in our lives?*
* Sheep recognize their shepherd by sight and sound, while chickens know their caretaker by sight.
