It Starts Small

The shepherd leads his sheep throughout the hills of Judea to fields of green grass. These hills are lined with thousands of well-worn paths. Some paths lead to food, others to cliffs and crevices where sheep could fall to their deaths. The wilderness is a place of a thousand dangers. Only the shepherd knows the right path for his sheep to take. Only the shepherd can keep his sheep from going the wrong way and getting lost or hurt.

Sheep were accustomed to following their shepherd in well-worn paths, but occasionally a sheep would stray from a safe path and become lost. Then the shepherd would leave the rest of the sheep in the custody of helpers and go searching for the lost sheep. Jesus, the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14), leads us in paths of righteousness, but we may wander from the chosen path.

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. ¹³ This happens because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care about the sheep.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me,

John 10:11-14

Then Jesus searches until He finds us and restores us.

³ So he told them this parable: ⁴ “What man among you, who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it? ⁵ When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, ⁶ and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ ⁷ I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.

Luke 15:3-7

Jesus told a parable about a shepherd who had one hundred sheep, but when one went astray, he searched for it until he found it. Then he laid it on his shoulders, brought it home, and summoned his friends and neighbors to celebrate its recovery with him.

Jesus tells us:

⁶ Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 14:6

If we want to know which way is the best way, we need a the Good Shepherd to lead us.

Jesus is an example of a servant leader who leads by example, teaching and modeling a leadership style that is centered on love, compassion, and putting others first. Jesus’ life and teachings can guide people in several ways, including:

Atonement: Leads people to love

Teachings: Leads people to eternal truths

Perfect life: Leads people to the path of obedience

Servant leadership: Demonstrates the importance of humility, empowerment, accountability, and forgiveness

Truthfulness: Speaks the truth without fear of consequences

Selflessness: Values others and wants their company

Commitment: Says that his yoke is easy and his burden light, but his plan has a steep joining fee

Jesus led his disciples by inviting and challenging them through encouragement, having character and competency of humility through his ability to be a servant, and having a heart posture to stay moldable in the Lord by going to him to have relationship.

Today, let us ask again, who is our shepherd? Who is leading you into tomorrow? Jesus, the world, yourself? Do we understand that there are many paths to take but only one way leads to the promises of God and that only one shepherd, the Good Shepherd can lead us?