John 10:11-15

Who Am I?

A Question of Identity

One metaphor that Jesus uses to describe our identity is as His sheep. He is the Good Shepherd; we are His sheep. Our identity as sheep is not so much about us, but it is about the one we have as the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd protects His sheep from the wolves. The Good Shepherd fights on behalf of the sheep and lays down His life for the sheep. 

How does it make you feel that your identity is found in God’s protection? You are the sheep; God is the shepherd. That is an amazing comfort when we are confronted by wolves of all types every single day. God is not going to run away to save Himself. God puts Himself in harm’s way to protect you. You are God’s sheep. God will protect you.

It may not feel comforting to be compared to sheep. Sheep are fairly dumb. But it is comforting to know that as sheep, we have a shepherd who cares for us, loves us, and sacrificed Himself for us. To paraphrase Psalm 23, as we walk with the Lord as our shepherd, we can fear no evil. Even though we walk through dark times, God is with us, and He will protect us.