"How do I shepherd that!?" my friend remarked, referring her daughters' smiley confidence, whimsey, and fearless approach to life. This phrase nestled in me, sitting so perfectly in its context.
I picture sheep: soft, fluffy, white. Spotless and calm. Slowly meandering the hillside. Add lush green grasses and lightly streaming sunlight and the picturesque vision is set.
Or recall Jesus in the artistic, Renaissance to modern portrayals, him holding and caressing the docile creatures. The lamb are cuddled in his arms or submissive at his heels, peaceful smiles snuggling from their lips. Gingerly tended, eloquently displayed, and all is at rest.
Yet the images of the ages are warped, skewed. The role of the Shepherd downplayed and the behavior of sheep distorted. The relationship between the shepherd and the sheep discrepant.
To shepherd does not mean to quiet; doesn't ask for serene. It isn't a formula to mellow, a desire for docile, or a wish for waning sunsets over serene pastures. Its instead an eclipse of endurance and energy, guidance and boundaries, closely held and loosely free.
A few months ago we watched an episode of Amazing Race where contestants had to corral sheep. We laughed hysterically watching these crazy, running sheep darting here and there, and anywhere but near. They frolicked and jumped, scattered and skittered, bounced and boinged in all directions like scurrying, startling kittens or fat men on po-go sticks. It was hilarious, crazy, and eye-opening all at the same time.
As I watched those sheep, and as I chewed my lips about it hours later, I thought about the artform and sermon portrayls of shepherding and the juxtaposition of that which I had now seen. I thought about Christ, the Bible, shepherds and sheep. I thought of Jesus, and his words and actions, depicting shepherding as a constant pursuit of sheep, always finding the scampered and tending to His flock.
Then I thought about my Camilla-Bear, and my friends words: "How do I shepherd that?!" and God's use of shepherding as a parable, a model, and a reference made so much more sense. She's the boingy, frolicking, flitting, scampering sheep. She's pep, pizzaz, vitality; surging curiosity and sparkling zeal. She is zest and joy and this bounding lamb that loves life. Constant motion, always jostling for the next adventure, and protesting, steering clear of corrals or anything that might contain her energy.
Shepherding this spunky little blue-eyed lamb looks differently than tranquil, artistic images. Just as the Good Shepherd knows me, tends to me, and guides me, so I care for my little lamb. I chase after her, guide her, and train her steps. I give her boundaries but allow room to roam. My role isn't to squash, to squander, to squelch, to scowl at her energy, but to set boundaries with room to roam. It's to allow hamlets of safe pasture, with mountains to adventure, and waters to dip in. It's to encourage her curiosity while setting borders; to keep guard for danger while herding forward. It demands my attention, persistence, patience. It requires courage, strength, and endurance. Yet this is the joy, the calling, of Shepherding my Sheep.
"He tends his flock like a Shepherd. He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." Isaiah 40:11
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Amazing Race Episode Season 25; Episode 3 (start at 25 for the whole sheep segment, or at 31 to get a second viewing; it goes til almost the end of the episode) -
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