When Jesus told the parable of the “good shepherd” he was speaking to people who knew there were also not-so-good shepherds and bad shepherds. The good shepherd was with his sheep twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. He lead his flock to food and water and protected them from danger, thieves and predators. When Jesus compared himself to the “good shepherd” his disciples understood he was telling them he cared for them and would give his life for them. He made it clear that he freely chose to be their good shepherd. The blood stained cross and the empty tomb that we remembered during Holy Week and Easter Sunday are proof that Jesus is our “good shepherd.” Do we freely choose Jesus to be our good shepherd? Do we appreciate all that Jesus has done to shepherd us? Do we listen for His voice in prayer? Do we trust in Him to care for us and protects us? How do we demonstrate our faith in Jesus as our good shepherd?
