I’m a Sheep

The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.

Psalm 23:1 (NLT)

I was watching a comedian the other night, and man, he was funny. The way he connected with the audience was truly amazing. An entire arena of fans was with him for every joke, every story, every piece of his comedic journey. His show was hilarious.

But, what struck me in the middle of the show was a story he shared about how he desired to have a Lexus. For those who don’t know what that is, it is a luxury car which is quite expensive. Why did he want it? Well, mostly because it was nice and comfortable. But, ultimately, reading between the lines, he was wanting a Lexus because it was a status symbol – something which let everyone else know that he was wealthy. OK, maybe I was looking at it a little too harshly. But, there were other hints throughout the show that told me I was on the right track. He joked about how much he was getting paid for the show. He joked about how he toured 46 weeks out of the year. He joked about how his mother had “given birth to an ATM.” So, I don’t think I was reading into the Lexus story too much.

Now, before we all jump on the “I hate rich people” bandwagon, let me state that having wealth is not an issue. The real issue is when the wealth defines who we think we are. Of course, it doesn’t have to be wealth which causes an identity crisis. It can be: job, sports, academics, popularity, or a million other things.

In real life, in our spiritual life especially, we must make sure our needs are not confused with our wants. As our verse today states, “The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” The key here is the role of the shepherd. A shepherd is responsible for taking care of his flock by: feeding it, providing water, protecting it from predators, caring for and healing any wounds, leading it to safe pastures, and returning the lost to the flock. In other words, a shepherd is responsible for every need of the sheep. The sheep don’t need to prove their worth to the shepherd. Instead, the shepherd shows the sheep their worth through his words and actions.

So, in this world, and into the next, know that your Shepherd, Jesus Christ, will take care of your needs. You don’t need a Lexus to identify whether you are important to Him. You don’t need a stash of cash to make Him pay attention to you. You are one of His sheep. He loves you, and will take care of you. In the good times, and the hard times, He’ll be there.

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