John 10:11

“I Am the Good Shepherd,’ Jesus declares, “and as such I surrender my life for all the sheep.” John 10:11 EFP 

As I was paraphrasing this text I considered a couple of alternate wordings along the way. It is, after all, a very simple statement. Simple, but powerful. I couldn’t see myself changing the words “good shepherd”, so I left those alone. I did consider changing the “the” preceding “sheep” for a “my.” After all, the premise of the narrative seems to establish a contrast between the sheep who recognize his voice and those who do not. It makes sense, but only for a moment.

The evidence is too strong against making this a possessive pronoun in this context. Beginning with the classic verse in John 3:16, the foundational statement that God loved the world and that Jesus laid down his life for all (John 6:51). Jesus, is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). The world. The sheep. As attractive as it might seem to limit it to his or my sheep, it is not correct. Jesus surrendered his life for the sheep, even those who would end up leaving him, by choice, or ignorance. He died for all of us. He died for me.

The “good” in “Good Shepherd” does not seem to have the depth it deserves when I consider he died for all the sheep, not only for those who would accept him. That means even the less-than-bright-sheep who are led astray or sequestered by the enemy due to self-initiated folly, are still the object of his eternal passion to seek and save. I have not always responded to the voice of the Good Shepherd. I have been led astray many a time by lures of various shapes and sizes. I have tasted the bitterness of their aftermath. But the Shepherd remains good to me when my soul bleats for help or moans from the muck and mire of my own design. His heart still longs and seeks after me.