We are all seconds away from getting lost and are prone to falling, failing, and forgetting. It’s kind of what we do best. This is probably one of the reasons why the scriptures compare us to sheep more than 300 times!
I’ve never raised sheep before, but I have had several friends who have, and apparently, raising them can be a major pain in the rear. Let’s start with the fact that my farming friends tell me that sheep are directionless. Like Jack and all of us, they are wanderers and followers, they easily get lost, and they don’t know how to find their way back home. Or they get distracted and forget that they even have a home. They are both needy and absentminded.
That’s precisely why they are famous for walking off, following anything, and getting lost. I have a friend who lost his whole flock of sheep once because one of them found a hole in the fence and the rest of them just followed her out. Luckily there wasn’t a cliff nearby, because they are dumb enough to follow a fellow sheep off of one of those, too. Bless their cotton-ball hearts.
Sheep are also completely defenseless—such an easy target for predators. They are not very agile, are not quick on their hooves, and wool is not exactly great armor. You don’t have to talk to someone who has raised sheep very long to learn how high-maintenance these fluffy farm animals are! They consistently need protection, direction, healing, feeding, and rest. They are an investment—not only to buy them but also to be in charge of them every day. Constant care is required. 24/7. They just cannot make it on their own. Just like us. “All we like sheep have gone astray,” Isaiah said. “We have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6). Isaiah was right—we are all like sheep. Needy little sheep.
Happily, we are not only needy sheep but also lucky sheep, because we have a shepherd. And not just any shepherd, but the Good Shepherd. The Best Shepherd. This is one of the names of Jesus—a name that shows us how He can and does care for each of the individual wants, needs, hopes, and dreams of us, His sheep. “Wherefore, I am in your midst, and I am the good shepherd” (D&C 50:44). —David Butler
Principles Never Fail 