The Holy Bible teaches us a formidable lesson through the relationship that a shepherd has with his flock.

Their relationship is so unique and spiritual, that the Lord Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd, and us, the sheep of His flock. The story below gives us an example of this.

There once was a visitor, who was traveling through Syria and met up with three shepherds while they were giving their flocks water from a well.

All of the sheep were mixed up together and any stranger would assume that this was just one big flock. Shortly, one of the shepherds got up and called out: “Mene-Ah! Mene-Ah!”, which means “come with me” in Arabic.

Right away, some thirty sheep separated themselves from the group and followed their shepherd uphill. The second shepherd moved slightly aside and said, “Mene-Ah” and went on his way with his flock. Amazed, the traveler asked the third shepherd:

– Will your sheep follow me if I call them?

– Why don’t you try? He asked.

– What if I use your cloak and staff? Would they think I’m you?

Without saying a word, the shepherd handed over his cloak and staff, and watched with a smile on his lips as the stranger called out, “Mene-Ah! Mene-Ah!” The sheep didn’t pay him any attention. The pastor then explained:

– They won’t follow anyone else. Only sick sheep will follow a stranger.

This is a profound life lesson that speaks strongly to our soul. What kind of love exists in the relationship between a shepherd and his flock? That’s what Jesus was teaching us when He said:

“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice…. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:1-5, 14, 15)