Stubborn sheep.  But they can change too.  One of this year’s bottle fed lamb’s personality really demonstrated independence.  He would often be in a different area of the paddock, then start crying his heart out not just for milk but for them to pay attention to him. Yet he was the one that missed his grain, since he kept looking for something better. The paddock has a flimsy wire barrier atop a rock wall, so if he jumped into the back, there was no return.  He would start yelling at the top of his voice long and loud. I could hear him from my condo.  I patched the hole in the barrier, but then he would do it again.  But that journey started when another lamb his age that I wrote about earlier this month.  She needed the grain but would not stay in the pen where the grain was fed.  He followed her over the rock wall barrier only a couple of times, and so she taught him to go off on his own. She had to be removed to another field, so that grain stopped for her. 

And now he’s changed. He realized his grain was coming from me.  His provision was always there but he needed to remain near his source.  

Ring any bells?  My life is being changed not by what I do, but who I remain close to. And now as I see my first love once again, my heart is excited and refreshed far more often. 

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It still amazes me that the bottle-fed lambs never seem to be satisfied. They got fed five times a day with milk, given treats like grain or haole Koa branches I know they love. I keep an eye on their water, their safety, and make sure that they are given enough medication so internal parasites don’t weaken or kill them.

In truth it is not just the bottle lambs that are this ungrateful. The flock in Waimea have it good. Fresh grassland offered up to twice a week. That means I am moving the fences, water, the cameras, the mineral and chasing any errant sheep back inside their selected area.

By no means am I able to keep pace with all their needs, and guilt sets in when I miss preventable health issues or feel so overwhelmed I start taking longer to get things done because I lack hope.

But these weaknesses as an imperfect Shepherd only highlights God’s perfection. He consistently shows compassion. Rescues the wayward one. Makes sure “bread” is available whether it is to satisfy physical needs or spiritual or emotional needs. He is closer than the most wonderful mom, dad or friend. He’s aware of what you are thinking and does not shrink back. He knows perfectly our needs and desires and listens. He SEES us.

God’s shepherding is about seeing, always alert, and having full power. He knows at the end of the current broken chaotic world HE will right all wrongs, bring a home that does not fall into disrepair, our stomachs won’t growl, our emotions healed.

He waited for Israelites to stop chasing after their own ideas and acknowledge true life. He waits for us to do the same. He never leaves or forsakes us and when our minds accept that fact by faith, we trample the enemy’s power over us.

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Yesterday I let the bottle lambs out of their enclosure.  Even though I feed them, make sure they have shade and safety they will run away from me.  But they were the true expression of joy.  They leap and run and play.  After they stop, they might look for me, they might not.  I keep my eye on them to make sure their newfound freedom doesn’t put them in danger.

Later on a grandma pushed a stroller with a quiet and outwardly calm girl to the farm. The three baby lambs came right up to this preschool aged girl, curious to see her and they even touched the stroller. I observed the girl not being quite sure what to do. Grandma took her out of the stroller and still the lambs stayed nearby. 

That evening I stopped by the lamb’s enclosure again to greet another mom with two elementary aged children.  These kids wanted not only to watch them but to hold them.  (Even in that video of the momma being chased in a large field in Waimea, I knew my friends wanted to catch one to enjoy holding a baby lamb.)

So I opened the gate and the three lambs came out in a huddle, nibbling on grass, and also springing into the air just a tiny bit.  They watched the two older kids closely but didn’t approach them.  They young lad was keen to interact but didn’t know how.  He approached them in quick, fast movements, they responded by moving away in the same manner.  It looked just like “catch me if you can.”

He tried harder, they only ran fast enough to keep a safe distance away.  Meanwhile they come over to me occasionally and I could catch them if needed.  I knew if they felt safe, they would approach this young lad like they did earlier that morning to the girl.

What is your takeaway from this story?

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One individual sheep has no protection. Yet I witnessed a new momma sheep place her body between an intruder and her lamb.  Her just born lamb had no speed and she knew it.  She was willing to take the blows from any attacker even though she has no defenses like horses teeth or the ability to strike or kick. This momma reaction can be seen at the 10:30 mark on the Sheep Game vlog https://youtu.be/hJBrsTdoyHY?si=OdFB7hjG9EMdfFWp

Even though in the video the intruder was the shepherd, my own flock had a group reaction to their perceived danger.  In this case there were no just born lambs and even the youngest baby lamb will fly with their mother, twisting and turning as one unit, back to the safety of the flock’s huddle.  

We are not meant to be alone.  When danger or struggle comes, the correct place to run is to the Ultimate protector, and He designed us to be in units, like families and communities.  

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My sheep flock have split into two groups.  Those who trust me and those who don’t. For a week I attempted to move six escaped sheep back inside their paddock.  Guinea grass up to 12 feet tall and thick brush kept them concealed from my view.  They didn’t run, they just disappeared from my view and went their merry way. If I opened up the paddock, all the trusting sheep would follow me outside, and if I stopped giving them treats they would join the stray sheep in this escapade. I knew dogs could find and attack them or the escapees could be hit by a car.

That means as a shepherd I have to go after the stray sheep differently.  My voice is raised, I clap my hands, or if necessary rush at them to make them move.  I just purchased a whip with a flag at the end.  The whip’s noise and motion worked.  As a human shepherd I needed other helpers to keep sheep moving into their field.  God doesn’t need us to rescue people, yet he desires us to be involved.  Taking care of children, friends, or other loved ones means warning them of danger or perhaps passivity. Pressure applied for right reasons brings the errant ones back within God’s plan. My disobedient sheep needed that pressure and as humans so do we.

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Seeing sheep in pain galvanizes me to take action.  Thing is the sheep are very hard to catch.  They don’t know that I can give them pain killers, or an ointment that speeds their healing.  This month many lambs had bacteria invading the soles of their feet. Two weeks ago, I exhausted myself corralling lambs to spray bacteria inhibiting liquid onto their feet.  This treatment needs to be repeated for the bad cases or I turn to a stronger and more invasive method.

Why did Jesus wash feet?”  He declared to Peter “You shall have no part of me unless I wash your feet.” Peter instantly responded “wash all of me.” Jesus sees you like I as a shepherd see my sheep.  He is not ignoring the pain.  Jesus said to his disciples “…and you are clean though not all of you.” 

Shame, sin, wounds, the dirt of the world is on us.  We who are washed by faith still need Jesus’ touch to be fully clean like He did for his disciples in the upper room.  The Shepherd doesn’t wait for us to realize it, he is always wanting to minister.  Is he allowed to do it?

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When is enough enough? My effort can feed new spiritual growth, but lacks power to cleanse wrong choices.  It is possible to pray, read life-giving books, hear sermons, watch YouTube content, gather with believers, and all types of spiritual effort and miss the point. Am I there and satisfied with my effort to be WITH Him, no, but when I see God’s zeal toward me, I’m changed.  He never quits on me.  My feelings or thoughts don’t make him leave.  Do my choices limit His active, unfailing love towards me? His passion means He’s active and guiding me always.

So the annoying “fly” buzzes and says, “hey are you walking with God this very moment,”  or “this morning,” or “did you do this important thing to be in a better relationship with God?” The reality remains that even if weakness in spiritual discipline rears its head, He never quits on me. Jesus is the perfect substitute, not me. I am weak, He is strong. His strength means there is no condemnation when He lives within.

Strength is from facing weakness and yet remembering that Jesus perfection lives within. It’s still not license to do whatever, or believe whatever is convenient.  The following example is from my sheep, and they don’t naturally stay inside safe boundaries.

I experience my Lord more each time I feed, protect, medicate, and discipline my sheep.  I know how they might die physically by going outside boundaries of the fence into the path of a car, or get tangled in that same fence and strangle. They don’t know this. I’m angry when they think they can poke their head through the boundary because I’ve witnessed sheep with the netting twisted around on their neck so tight they choked to death.  I pay money for better electric fences and more powerful shocks so this doesn’t happen.  But baby lambs are still testing that boundary and some ignore the electric jolt.  I don’t give up, I’ll fix the broken fences, check the power, and I’d even yell at them, but once they find one weak spot in the fence, they keep trying.

Becoming more in tune with Holy Spirit means everything to our Father. This love response isn’t a level in a game to improve ourselves, it signals we hear and receive what Jesus declared to us. 

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