I admit to ambivalent feelings toward Facebook, but every now and then something pops up that really captures my attention, like the 2004 story about a sheep in New Zealand named Shrek who so hated being sheared that he hid in a cave to avoid it for six years! He came out looking more like a big ball than a sheep.
Photos of Shrek are posted online, but for copyright reasons, they are not pictured here. You can find them on Google by searching for “Shrek the Sheep.”
Once he made his appearance, his owners immediately took him to the shearer, who removed 60 pounds of fleece. And guess what! After the shearing, Shrek seemed to be very happy. What a relief he must have felt to be free of all that weight.
I read the story and laughed at Shrek’s cleverness to avoid the dreaded shears. Then I realized that sometimes I run off and hide in a cave, too, thinking I am so clever, instead of facing up to things I would rather not think about, things God is telling me need to change in my attitude or behavior. I may hide myself in busyness, the Internet, or any number of time-wasters – anything to keep me distracted.
When I finally emerge from the cave and allow my Good Shepherd to remove the excess wool, and I “lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily ensnares me” (Hebrews 12:1), I feel so much better. I realize I’ve been allowing the thief (John 10:10) to steal, kill, and destroy my peace, joy, and productivity instead of enjoying the abundant life my Shepherd wants me to have. I happily lie down in green pastures beside still waters where He has led me (Psalm 23:2), and once again rest in His love.
Sometimes He does need to remove something from our life for our ultimate benefit. What a wonderful thing when we can trust Him instead of being afraid of the shears.
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
You might enjoy A Shepherd Looks at the Twenty-third Psalm by Phillip Keller, in which a man who spent many years as a sheep owner shares fascinating insights into the nature of those wooly creatures that God compares us to so many times in the Bible.
If you would like to learn more about the abun- dant life in Jesus Christ that God wants you to have, come and visit us at Charis Christian Church, 4811 E. Julep St., Suite 101, in Mesa.