Don't Be Shrek The Sheep
We Are All Sheep. And That’s a Good Thing.
Shrek was a Merino sheep who gained international fame after avoiding being caught and shorn for six years. Merinos are normally shorn annually, but Shrek apparently hid in caves. After finally being caught he was shorn by a professional for 20 minutes on live television. His fleece contained enough wool to make 20 large men's suits, weighing 60 lb – an average Merino fleece weighs around 10 lb.
Why does any of this matter?
One of the most enduring Psalms, even sections of scripture, heck, poems of all time, is Psalm 23. The chance is that in any room you walk someone would be able to complete the sentence, “The Lord is my shepherd…”
It captures our hearts, eases our minds, and brings peace to almost any situation. The idea that anyone would be looking out for you, leading and guiding you, and providing for you is something we can all find solace in.
But why? Why is it that a portion of six verses seems to endure in every generation? How does it carry so much weight and mean so much to so many? Here is one possible reason: Deep down, we all know we’re sheep. In the deepest parts of our soul, we know that on our own we cannot solve every problem, provide for every need, or know which direction to take at all times.
We need a shepherd.
This is where John 10 comes in. Full of some of the more well know phrases that Jesus ever says about himself in all of the Bible…
I am the good shepherd.
The sheep know my voice.
I am the gate for the sheep.
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
I know my sheep and my sheep know me.
In this monologue of Jesus, we find some Jews who are questioning who Jesus is. They ask him for some certainty. “Give us a clear answer! Are you the messiah?” And Jesus responds again with this idea of himself as the shepherd among other things.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
John 10:14-18 NIV
So you’ve been waiting long enough… why does Shrek the sheep matter? Because if we aren’t sheep, he is not our shepherd. If we deny our sheephood, then Psalm 23 is not for us.
And in a culture that emphasizes our individuality, independence, and self-actualization, the idea that we are sheep in need of a shepherd is not all that appealing. But lacking nothing is. Green pastures, quiet waters, and a refreshed soul sure are. Comfort in the darkest valleys, no fear in face of death, a prepared table, an anointing of joy, goodness and mercy pursuing me. Yes, all of those sound appealing.
But those are for the sheep who have a shepherd. A good shepherd.
We can often become Shrek, hiding from the shepherd, living independently and ‘free’. And yet, at some point we realize we don’t know how to use the sheers and even if we did, we wouldn’t have the limbs to pull it off.
When we deny the goodness of being sheep, we deny the goodness of the shepherd who calls us his own. He’s always offering it and even working it in your life, but to fully embrace it is to know the meaning of the words, “I shall not want.”
And one more thing in light of Jesus’ resurrection during this Easter Time season… As the shepherd lives, so the sheep live. Sheep cannot live without the shepherd. They are entirely dependent on the shepherd for everything. They require constant care and watching over. So leaving them unattended can put them at risk and greatly endanger their lives.
The cross forever speaks of how good this shepherd is. His resurrection speaks that this goodness will never die.
And for all of you who were about to Google, here’s a pic of Shrek living his best life post haircut…
