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What does it mean when we really believe the words, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing” (Psalm 23:1)?
When the sheep is utterly dependent on the shepherd, it lacks nothing. A sheep without any lack glorifies the Good Shepherd.
God is glorified when I remain in utter dependence on Him, and I continue to have to lack because of His perfect provision. I am quiet, restored, on the right path, fearless, secure, provisioned, blessed, and forever hopeful.
To try to provide for my own needs dishonors the Good Shepherd, but to come to Him for absolutely everything glorifies Him as eternally satisfying and reliable.
The more my needs are satisfied by God alone, the more He is glorified.
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In John 10:1-18, Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd, and He refers to those who follow Him as His sheep.
Anyone who has ever seen a shepherd interact with his sheep knows that the sheep are listening for their shepherd’s voice to give them direction, but they will ignore or run away from a stranger’s voice.
This requires two-way communication. The shepherd must speak tenderly and convincingly, and the sheep must remain tuned in to their shepherd’s voice with an ear to follow.
This requires proximity. The shepherd cannot speak from a distance without raising his voice, and sheep will never be attracted to someone who yells at them.
This requires consistency. The shepherd needs to continually speak life-giving words, and the sheep need to consistently obey the shepherd’s words in order to reap the benefits.
This requires discernment. The sheep have to be able to know the difference between their shepherd’s voice and a stranger’s voice. The shepherd needs to speak “words of eternal life” (see John 6:68-69).
This requires patience. A shepherd’s directions really “get through” the first time, so the message needs to be patiently, lovingly, and creatively repeated.
This requires abiding. The shepherd needs to show himself trustworthy, and the sheep need to show themselves faithful in their abiding with their shepherd.
Jesus is the good and perfect Shepherd. There is no one else to whom I should be trusting, abiding with, listening to, and obeying.
The Good Shepherd will call some of His sheep to serve as His under-shepherds for other sheep. Those under-shepherds bring the Good Shepherd glory by shepherding just as Jesus models for them.
When shepherds and sheep remain in constant communication, there is a vitality and maturity that is readily apparent. And when the communication breaks down, the health of the sheep quickly deteriorates.
If you have been called to be an under-shepherd, please check out my books Shepherd Leadership and When Sheep Bite that will give you practical, biblical guidelines for you to thrive in this beautiful ministry.
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Karl Vaters and I share the same passionate belief that pastors—shepherd leaders—need to be in the pastures where God has placed them, faithfully caring for the sheep under their care.
Check out this clip from my interview on The Church Lobby—
In my book Shepherd Leadership, I wrote this—
Jesus said not only that He knew His sheep, but that His sheep knew Him, too. Shepherd leaders get right into the messiness of shepherding. Let’s be honest: pastures are not very neat, tidy places to hang out. But pastures are where the sheep are, so that is where the shepherds need to be. If the only time you interact with others is when you want to make an announcement or someone needs to be corrected, your sheep will begin to either resent you or fear your arrival.
The best way to know the voice of each one of the sheep in your pasture (and the best way for those sheep to know your voice as well) is to be in the pasture as often as you can. This is what Jesus did at the Good Shepherd, and His under-shepherds honor Him when we follow His example.
You can check out more clips from this Church Lobby interview here.
Check out my book Shepherd Leadership for yourself or for a pastor that you love. And also check out my latest book When Sheep Bite, which I think of as the prequel to Shepherd Leadership.
Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.
I think it’s safe to say that most of us would feel much more secure if we knew exactly where life was taking us. That way, perhaps we could be ready for what lies ahead. It would certainly help to decrease our anxiety if we knew we were ready for what was coming next.
In Luke 19, Jesus is on the path toward Jerusalem and Calvary. And in just a 5-verse section, the word “ahead” is used three times.
First, we read that Jesus “went on ahead” toward Jerusalem (v. 28). He knew exactly what was awaiting Him there; in fact, He had told His disciples numerous times the precise details of what was ahead. Even though His experience was going to be excruciating, for the joy that was even further ahead (see Hebrews 12:2), Jesus persevered.
Next we read that Jesus sent two of His disciples “to the village ahead of you” to retrieve the donkey colt that was awaiting Him (v. 30). What is unspoken here is that Jesus had obviously spoken to the colt’s owners aheadof time about what He would require.
Finally, we read that those two disciples “who were sent ahead” found everything just as Jesus had said it would be (v. 32).
I find this to be so comforting! What all of this means is:
I never walk an unknown path!
Jesus has already walked this path, and is fully aware of all that is ahead of me.
Jesus has already spoken to others aheadof time to help resource me along this path.
Phillip Keller pointed out, “Sheep are notorious creatures of habit. If left to themselves, they will follow the same trails until they become ruts; graze the same hills until they turn to desert wastes; pollute their own ground until it is corrupt with disease and parasites. … No other class of livestock requires more careful handling, more detail direction, than do sheep.” So Keller explains how good shepherds visit paths and pasturing areas ahead of time to make sure they know how to lead their sheep.
David gives us these reassuring words about our Good Shepherd: “He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3).
After I wrote the best-selling book Shepherd Leadership, I started naturally gravitating toward anything shepherd related. A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 was the perfect fit for me! But I think anyone will enjoy these beautiful insights on Psalm 23. Check out my full book review here.
Here are some quotes that especially caught my eye—
“Sheep do not ‘just take care of themselves’ as some might suppose. They require, more than any other class of livestock, endless attention and meticulous care. … From early dawn until late at night this utterly selfless Shepherd is alert to the welfare of His flock. … Above all, He is very jealous of His name and high reputation as the Good Shepherd. He is the Owner who delights in His flock. For Him there is no greater reward, no deeper satisfaction, than that of seeing His sheep contented, well fed, safe, and flourishing under His care. This is indeed His very ‘life.’ He gives all He has to it. He literally lays Himself out for those who are His. He will go to no end of trouble and labor to supply them with the finest grazing, the richest pasturage, ample winter feed, and clean water. He will spare Himself no pains to provide shelter from storms, protection from ruthless enemies and the diseases and parasites to which sheep are so susceptible.”
“A flock that is restless, discontented, always agitated and disturbed never does well. … When one startled sheep runs in fright, a dozen others will bolt with it in blind fear, not waiting to see what frightened them.”
“In the course of time I came to realize that nothing so quieted and reassured the sheep as to see me in the field. The presence of their master and owner and protector put them at ease as nothing else could do, and this applied day and night. … When my eyes are on my Master they are not on those around me. This is the place of peace.”
“Only those intimately acquainted with sheep and their habits understand the significance of a ‘cast’ sheep or a ‘cast down’ sheep. This is an old English shepherd’s term for a sheep that has turned over on its back and cannot get up again by itself.”
“Sheep are notorious creatures of habit. If left to themselves, they will follow the same trails until they become ruts; graze the same hills until they turn to desert wastes; pollute their own ground until it is corrupt with disease and parasites. … No other class of livestock requires more careful handling, more detail direction, than do sheep.”
My Patreon supporters had early access to these quotes, plus I have shared many more quotes from this book with these friends.
My newest book When Sheep Bite is releasing soon. You can pre-order a copy for yourself here.
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.
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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An interesting comment that Jesus made that should catch the attention of every leader is this: “I know My sheep and My sheep know Me” (John 10:14). Jesus is telling us that He knows the uniqueness of every person.
Combine this with David’s encouraging words about Jesus as our Good Shepherd in the opening words of Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need” (Psalm 23:1 NLT).
This tells me that quality shepherd leaders…
…are around their teammates enough to know them personally.
…can quickly ascertain when their teammates are feeling stress or anxiety.
…know how to give their teammates what they need to destress in a healthy way.
My friend Greg and I discussed how leaders can use playtime as an effective tool to keep their teammates at their healthiest. Check out this short clip—
If you would like to watch this full episode from The Craig And Greg Show, please click here.
I also talk about how wise leaders take care of those under their care in my book Shepherd Leadership: The Metrics That Really Matter. It’s available in print or ebook, and in audiobook through either Audible or Apple.
Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.
Last week we saw the dark times in which Micah lived as he prophesied the advent of the Messiah. Israel was both surrounded by enemies as well as lots of practices within their borders that were heartbreaking to God. Many times, our lives can feel the same way: enemies of God all around us and our own turmoil and doubts inside our hearts and minds.
In this dark, hopeless time, the Messiah came as our Great Shepherd. Take a look at what this Shepherd brings us:
He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. And they will live securely, for then His greatness will reach to the ends of the Earth. And He will be their peace. (Micah 5:4-5)
We see this idea of Jesus our Great Shepherd bringing peace to our hearts in the New Testament as well:
May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21)
This peace is also implied in Psalm 23:1 when David wrote, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.” That phrase “I shall not be in want” really captures the definition of peace.
The Hebrew word for peace is shalom. An easy-to-remember definition of shalom is “nothing lost, nothing missing.” Our Great Shepherd makes sure nothing is lost or missing that would cause us anxiety or doubt, so we can have total peace—we can have shalom!
Jesus said the devil’s agenda was for everything to be lost or missing—“the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy”—but our Great Shepherd’s agenda is for there to be nothing lost or missing—“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).
Isaiah, who was prophesying at the same time as Micah, sounded a similar note:
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and will call Him Immanuel. … And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6)
When this Great Shepherd was born in Bethlehem, the shepherds in the field were the first to hear the good news. Notice what the angels announced: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests” (Luke 2:14).
Who has God’s favor? Those with faith in Him: “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). So those with faith in God have God’s favor.
Faith in what? In all that Jesus purchased for us by His blood shed on the Cross: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
Faith comes from believing that God has made the promise of peace, that God has fulfilled the promise of peace through Jesus, and that God is bringing us to His eternal peace. So now our lives of peace in a world of turmoil can serve as a testimony to others.
Jesus called His followers to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) but we cannot do this while we are experiencing anxiety or doubts. To be peacemakers we must be full of peace because of our relationship with the Prince of Peace, who has ensured that nothing is lost and nothing is missing!
If you feel anxious, remember that Bethlehem is your proof that the Prince of Peace has come to remove doubts, anxiety, fear, and inner turmoil. Let every pang of anxiety be immediately a call to run to the Prince of Peace. He has paid an incalculable price to purchase your peace, so don’t leave this gift unopened and unused. A dark, anxious world is looking for peace. Know the author of shalom so that you can introduce others to this Prince of Peace.
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I had a great time on the Thriving In Ministry podcast with Kyle Willis while his podcast partner Dace Clifton was on sabbatical.
From all of the podcasts and interviews they had done, Kyle shared with me how so many pastors find it difficult to take a Sabbath break. Kyle noted that a pastor’s day of rest seems to bump into everyone else’s day of work.
That passage in Mark 6 that I mentioned is instructive for leaders in a couple of ways. First, Jesus was looking out for His teammates. He saw that they were tired and He called them to a place of rest. Good shepherds are always tuned in to the needs of the flock around them. As David said in Psalm 23, the Good Shepherd knows when to lead us to quiet pastures and still waters.
Second, I see that Jesus was also tuned in to Himself. Even though He was trying to get to a quiet place, He took time to minister in teaching and food to a crowd that was described as “sheep without a shepherd.” When this time was finished, Jesus took time alone to pray (Mark 6:46).
I think sometimes leaders have sabotaged their own health and effectiveness by saying things like, “This is quitting time” or “This is my day off.” Instead, we should listen to the Holy Spirit giving us insight like, “Take a break now. It’s time to go to a quiet pasture. It’s time to recharge in prayer.”
Leaders, don’t stick rigidly to your schedule but stay tuned in to yourself. Listen for the unmistakable voice of the Holy Spirit giving you wisdom. I have a section of five chapters in my book Shepherd Leadership that deal with every aspect of a leader’s health. Please pick up a copy today.
I’ll be sharing more clips from this Thriving In Ministry interview soon, so please stay tuned. Shepherd Leadership: The Metrics That Really Matter is available in print or ebook, and in audiobook through either Audible or Apple.
Craig T. Owens 