“The Lord is my Shepherd.” Psalm 23:1
“God is your shepherd, who directs, protects, and provides for those who are His.”
My thoughts today ask, “who’s in charge here?”
After a minor conflict of authority with her preschool teacher, on her way home our oldest granddaughter was sorting out a very important question with her grandmother, Nanna Gayle, about the very practical life question, “Who’s your boss?” She reasoned this way: if her Mom was her boss, and her Dad was her Mom’s boss, and as his mother, Nanna was his boss, and I was Nanna’s boss (though life and relationships are never that clear and linear, as every husband and father knows), then who was my boss? There, she was stumped. I often wish it were that simple, but life does not allow anyone to be the final authority of all things – that’s God’s job! Any person who thinks they can do that better will be very surprised.
The most basic, important issue in life may be the simple matter of where and from whom you will accept leadership – direction and correction. I think most of us are willing to accept direction; it’s that authority to correct that we resist or ignore when we prefer our own direction. However capable you believe yourself to be, everyone needs correction more than you will enjoy. When life gets confusing, where do you look for direction? When life is off track, from whom do you welcome correction? You need a Shepherd – “a boss,” in my granddaughter’s reasoning.
Several years ago, I had a few sheep, just six or seven I think it was. I kept them only a few months because they became more trouble than I expected. I didn’t learn much about them, except for the fact that they needed a lot of attention and showed very little appreciation. I did learn this about being a shepherd; it’s not that easy and not much fun. Whatever time of day, when my car pulled into the driveway, they immediately began bellowing to be fed, insistent on my prompt attention.
Sheep are not very good if left on their own; they don’t fare well. They are pretty much defenseless; they cannot fend for themselves very well; left on their own, they will destroy a pasture by overgrazing; they wander off and get lost easily when separated from the others. Like us, they need a shepherd to protect them, to direct them, and to provide for them.
Life will not work when you insist on being your own shepherd, final authority in all things relating to yourself or others. Have you ever tried that? Of course, you have. Go ahead and admit it; you would always prefer to “be your own boss!” In doing so, you assume the responsibility of a task beyond your experience, wisdom, or abilities. When you are playing God’s role, God cannot be what you most need – a shepherd in your life! Life is too complicated without Him.
Life only works when you finally accept that truth, and welcome the only One who is truly qualified to be that in your life. You cannot even imagine the joy and relief you will find in His care. I want you to personally know the unequalled sufficiency of the One who wants and waits to be your Shepherd. See John 10:1-18 NIV. Life is unlike anything you have ever known when you can truly say from your heart, “The Lord is my Shepherd!” Yes, life really is that simple.
My prayer for you today is that you settle the issue and trust in God’s care.