Sheep are not only defenseless, sheep can also have nasty temperaments.
What do I mean by that? In a book called, “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23”, Phillip Keller describes how when sheep are led to waters to drink, the sheep will not only drink but will get in the water to rile up the dredge and the silt. Soon, the water is no longer good to drink. So, even when the sheep are led to the waters, they must be kept from riling up the waters so that other sheep can drink as well.
The word for “lead” is the Hebrew word nahal. It means, not only to lead or guide, but specifically to lead or guide to a watering place in order to refresh.
There is a refreshing that can only be quenched by the shepherd. We don’t possess it. We can only be led to it. Only the shepherd can lead us to it.
A refreshing that can only come from the Good Shepherd.
The shepherd will lead the sheep to a safe place to drink and be refreshed. And the shepherd will use his staff to keep any sheep from riling up the waters so all his sheep can drink.
There’s a hunger and a thirst for meaning and purpose. There is nothing in the created world that can satiate this hunger and thirst. Only the shepherd can satiate this hunger and thirst.
Follow your shepherd. Trust his leading. Follow him.
Oh, yeah. And don’t mess it up for others. This refreshing is to be shared with all God’s sheep.
Praxis: Faith in Action 