My daughter’s Sheepdog, Ron, is staying with me for a while. Every morning when I go to let Ron out, he grabs my arm to shepherd me and drag me out the door to do what he wants. Now grant it, He is much larger than me when he stands up, and I believe he outweighs me. If he desired to drag me down the road, he could. He has a gentle spirit, unlike many who try to herd, shepherd and control us. 

I have seen many wolves and coyotes on my property over the years. Ron would run in the opposite direction if one of them came upon us. You see, he has the skill set to herd the sheep. But he is not the shepherd.  

Our Lord is the great shepherd, and He never controls or leaves us. He has a gentle spirit that draws us to Him. He is our protector.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.” John 10:11-13