Love Herds

When I was in high school, my parents bought us our first "real" pet. (No offense, Splinter the Hamster. R.I.P. little guy)  A dog, Tobie.  Tobie was a Border Collie and a darn good one.  We didn't have sheep, so he herded us, which was maddening- it really just seemed he was underfoot all the time.  Then, when I moved out and was married, my husband and I purchased (on sale!) Allie, a Sheltie... another herding dog!  I just love a working dog, even if they always want to back me into a corner (Tobie), or get a little barky (Allie).

Allie and Tobie meeting for the first time.

It's no secret there are about a bajillion shepherding references in the Bible.  Biblegateway.com provided 118 results when I typed "shepherd" into their search engine (but only 23 in the New Testament).  In Acts 20:28, Luke points out the Holy Spirit makes Christians shepherds; and in his gentle, but firm hand, writes, "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.  Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.  I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock."

Unlike collies, I don't know that people are genetically coded to shepherd, but I think being filled with the Holy Spirit trumps natural disposition anyway.  I'm not going to lie here, it completely freaks me out to think of myself as a protector of the church.  I'm not exactly... fierce.  But when I think about the "wolves" descending on my church, or on any church?  That stirs up some animalistic anger in me.

The Wolf is after our churches and it's up to us to protect them.  This is not the time to be a little lap dog, but a guard dog protecting our beloved sheep.