What I have Learned about Sheep and Myself!

I have had sheep on the farm since 2014.  We started with two ewes and a ram.  We have an unusual breed of hair sheep called Barbados Blackbelly Sheep.  They are very skittish and flighty.  They aren’t your cute cuddly version of sheep.  We raise them for the meat, which tastes very good.  We recently had two orphaned lambs that we have been bottle feeding.  Our constant care and interaction with these two lambs got me to thinking about this post.

Here are some things we have learned about sheep.

  1. Sheep are Fragile.  Sheep can get sick and die quickly.  Vets, experienced farmers, and my own experience has shown that sheep can turn sick quick and be past saving.  They are especially fragile when they are young.  We had to feed our lambs every four hours.  You can’t feed them too much or not enough because both can cause major problems.  We had one lamb that got its leg broken in the pasture.  They are fragile!
  2. Sheep are Dumb.  Sheep are not known for being smart animals.  They can be trained and worked reliably, but they still come across most of the time as dumb!  While our cows, horses, and pigs tend to pick up pretty quickly to a routine or will work with you to accomplish what is best for them (like moving to a better pasture), the sheep tend to make it really frustrating because they are so fearful and slow.
  3. Sheep need a Leader.  Sheep could not survive on their own.  We have a problem in the south with wild hogs, because hogs can survive on their own.  We don’t have a problem with wild sheep!  Sheep require a shepherd!  Remember Jesus’ famous line when he looked across the multitude, “like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt. 9:36).
  4. Sheep think Selfishly.  Sheep, like all livestock, are constantly thinking about themselves.  They are solely concerned about their food and preservation.
  5. Sheep are Fearful.  Our sheep are not brave enough to run away.  If you let them out they will not get too far from the security and comfort of their familiar barn and pasture surroundings.  They have a strong herd instinct.  They move in a big pack and rely on one another.  They long for security and safety.

I have spent this blog post describing sheep, and most of them are unfavorable descriptions.  But stay with me, though you may not like the punch line!   Close to 200 times in Scripture God calls us sheep.  Of all the animals God could have chosen to call Christians, he chose sheep!  After raising sheep for the last three years, I am not sure I like that God chose that description.  But when I am honest and look back on my list about sheep, I realize that I often act very much like a sheep.  I am fragile, dumb, selfish, fearful, and in need of a leader.  If all of us are honest, we must admit the sheep description is pretty accurate!  Which is why we should be thankful that God sent Jesus as the “Good Shepherd” to provide us with love, care, security, and leadership (John 10:11).    

Lewis and Clark – our bottle-fed lambs that followed Brooke to the house.

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1 comment

  1. Great Points!

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