the life of a sheep
I never really knew much of anything about sheep. Anyone who doesn’t own them thinks they’re cute, cuddly, woolly cherubs – shepherds know best! You know why, because every pastor knows that they are too much like people! They can be stubborn, helpless, uncooperative, cause horrendous damage, and just want to get away with it! Sound like someone you know?
These beasts of wool depend entirely on the type of owner or manager they have. Is he brave, selfless, devoted to the flock, or is he indifferent, careless and cowardly? Under the former, they will be healthy, flourish and prosper; under the second, they will starve and suffer terrible hardship. Interestingly, it is only the character of the herder that determines the health and future of these animals and no one else.
The shepherd must be willing to continually sacrifice his own comfort and needs to properly provide for the flock. He must go to great lengths to find clean water, the best pastures, enough food for the winter, and shelter from harsh weather. Without the shepherd, the sheep are like defenseless orphans, prey to any ravenous beast. It is not an easy task! They need constant care. The shepherd must ensure his contentment or the flock will never do well. His lives are entirely in his hands.
Properly managed, sheep enjoy a unique role in the livestock kingdom. We’ve probably all seen the cowboy movies where ranchers and herdsmen fight over the prairies. This is because sheep, under indifferent management, can overgraze and turn the land so barren that it can hardly be repaired. Paradoxically, they can also be the most advantageous animal on earth. In the old days, they were known as ‘those with the golden helmets’, due to their great benefits for the soil.
Known as ‘nature’s herbivores’, these animals consume the widest variety of herbs. They can eat toxic and invasive weeds that other animals cannot, thus eliminating all poisonous plants that are deadly to other grasses. This saves ranchers a ton of money from the use of chemicals and machines, because even these contraptions don’t guarantee any success in destroying the weeds that choke out pretty much everything else. And that is why they are called ‘those with the golden hooves’, sheep manure is the most balanced of any other animal. It is their habit to feed on the rich lowlands and then rest on the higher ground. In doing so, they redeposit the rich nutrients from those lowlands to the less fertile uplands. Like a waterfall upside down!
No other creature removes so much lethal toxin and returns so many vital nutrients. Sheep manure is a slow-release natural fertilizer, can be used as organic mulch, has little odor and is lower in nitrogen than other manures, but at the same time high in phosphorus and potassium, making it ideal for plants. growth.
Sure, these woolly creatures are difficult to handle properly. Finding clean water can be a nightmare! Like any other animal, if they don’t get enough fresh water they become weak, tense and restless. If the herder does not provide clean water, these critters will seek out any well or puddle of contaminated water, putting themselves at risk of contracting parasites and infectious diseases. Keeping a sheep from slaughtering itself is a full-time occupation!
Something that many people find quite contradictory is in the discipline of the herd. It all has to do with them wandering around. Have you ever seen an image of a shepherd carrying a lamb on his shoulders? It is a shepherd’s job to set boundaries for the herd. When a sheep constantly and stubbornly strays from her protection, it will break her leg so that she cannot walk away. Now he is forced to rely entirely on the tender care of the shepherds. It takes time, patience, and devotion, but a strong bond will be forged that was never there when the sheep wandered.
Opinions quickly differ here. I have read that there are those who say that this is a myth; no shepherd would do such a cruel thing. But what is crueler, to make sure a sheep no longer strays and stays out of harm’s way, or is it possible to keep an eye on it 24/7 to protect it? You can choose, but this isn’t the first time I’ve heard of this kind of discipline on a backslider, and only the faithful can do it, it’s called tough love!