When I wrote my first book, my publisher asked me to write on “servant leadership,” but the more I dove into the topic, the more I kept coming back to Jesus as the ultimate example. But then I noticed that Jesus not only called Himself a shepherd, but many of the Old Testament prophecies foretelling His arrival also used shepherding terms. It was then that I pivoted to entitle my book Shepherd Leadership.
Ever since I immersed myself in the research for that book, I’ve been especially attentive to all things related to shepherding. In going through books from my Mom’s library, I stumbled upon A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller.
Oh my! I wish I would have discovered this amazing little book while I was writing my book! What a depth of insight I have gleaned from someone who looks after actual sheep!
As the title denotes, Keller uses the well-known Psalm 23 to give us so many eye-opening insights into our Good Shepherd. He goes phrase by phrase—“the Lord is my Shepherd,” “I shall not want,” “He makes me lie down in green pastures,” and so on—with each phrase adding a new level of intimacy with this One who cares for us so profoundly.
Just as Jesus used so many parables to show new facets of the Kingdom of God, Keller uses insights and stories from his own shepherding experience to reveal new facets of our Shepherd’s care for each of His precious sheep. I loved these insights!
And as an added bonus for me, it was so sweet to see the highlights and notations my Mom had made as she read this book. This made A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 a double blessing for me.
(P.S. Check out some quotes I’ve shared from this book here.)
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Craig T. Owens 