But there is a gentleness to Jesus' good shepherd metaphor that I think is easy to miss. When I think of a shepherd and a herd of sheep, I envision large group of animals that need to be driven from place to place. Perhaps a sheepdog is employed to keep them in line, to march them from place to place. But that is not the image Jesus evokes.
In seminary I had the chance to visit the Middle East, and once while riding on a bus in the countryside not far from Bethlehem, I looked out the window to see a young, Palestinian boy, perhaps 10 or 12, walking down a path without about a dozen sheep following along behind him in a single file line. I can only assume that this procession began when the boy called to the sheep, "Come on, let's go." Maybe he whistled or made some sounds like I might make to call the dog. And they moved toward him, following him as he turned and walked. They knew him. They trusted him, and they went when he called.
Jesus speaks of the sheep following him because "they know his voice." Jesus pictures faith a bit like that scene I saw from a tour bus window. But I have been told that sheep are not the brightest creatures. It's not hard to imagine one getting distracted by something along the way and wandering off, or thinking the grass is just fine where they are and munching happily as the herd walks away. Surely for dumb sheep, it would be easy to ignore the shepherd.
Jesus calls to us, "Come on, let's go." The good shepherd knows the way. But I can be pretty stubborn and pretty stupid sometimes. Fortunately we learn in a different gospel that this shepherd comes back to find the stubborn, foolish, and disobedient sheep. Thanks be to God!
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