The Sheep

[BeauJangles]

42 minutes ago, JustPassingThru said:

I raised sheep in High School, ...it's a choice between being the most stupid creature Father ever created or, ...being the most stubborn creature He ever created,

My grandfather managed a ranch of beef cattle for a number of years. Talk about stupid - I've never seen more brainless animals in my entire life! They sure were tasty eating, though. 

[BeauJangles]

3 hours ago, Alive said:

What is the chief characteristic of the sheep?

[JustPassingThru]

12 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

Did you also raise the domestic white turkey?

Nope, gave up on sheep and raised chickens, Vantress Cross  variety, dress out at almost 4 pounds, ...they sold like hotcakes, ...we made money with them, ...it was a FFA project.

[BeauJangles]

15 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

Hi,

Did you also raise the domestic white turkey? They be dumber creatures yet.

I know this is just country tales, but it's been said turkeys are so stupid, they'll sit and drown in the rain. "How do this happen?" I asked a rancher once. "They'll sit there with their beaks up in the air in thirst, but get drowned if it rains to hard!" 

[Alive]

John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”

The Good Shepherd and the Father make a mighty team!

[Dennis1209]

The chief characteristic of a sheep, if I would just pick one word, I'd say docile.

DOCILE, a. L., to teach. See Teach. Teachable; easily instructed; ready to learn; tractable; easily managed. Some children are far more docile than others. Dogs are more docile than many other animals.

We Christians hear Jesus' voice; follow Him, listen to Him, are managed by Him, are instructed by Him and learn of Him and His calling. 

 

[Dennis1209]

59 minutes ago, maryjayne said:

Wife and daughter in law of sheep farmer here.

Some sheep are not docile. A flock has a pecking order. Some sheep are leaders of groups of others. Often there is a head sheep dominating the whole flock. Some are bad tempered. Some are good mother's, some are not

But they all recognise the shepherds voice and come up to him or her. And they know who is a strange human in the field.

They also have favourite areas of the field, and form territorial groups.

A wearer of wool socks sometimes in the winter [my credentials]. Yep, I'm afraid of those man-eating carnivorous saber-tooth sheep's myself; baaah...  

[Alive]

5 minutes ago, Dennis1209 said:

A wearer of wool socks sometimes in the winter [my credentials]. Yep, I'm afraid of those man-eating carnivorous saber-tooth sheep's myself; baaah...  

And well you should be.........these sheep have been disadvantaged and ravished for wool for a great many generations. The darwinian adaptations were inevitable.

[Michael37]

21 hours ago, Alive said:

What is the chief characteristic of the sheep?

New Zealand is known for its sheep. According to Walter Godfrey Bowen M.B.E. born in Hastings NZ in 1922, sheep are not dumb, but they are helpless. This man was in the know, having become a world renowned expert in the international sheep and wool industry. For 30 years he travelled the sheep countries of the world consulting, researching, and teaching "the Bowen technique" of shearing. He achieved the world sheep shearing record of 456 adult sheep shorn in 9 hours back in 1953, and surpassed it in 1960 by shearing 559. He was also a successful Christian businessman and the author of books including "Wool Away" and "NZ and Its Sheep", but the one I have and treasure is called "WHY THE SHEPHERD?"

This book uses the following chapter headings to describe the interaction between shepherd and sheep and applies Scripture to expound the analogy of Christ the Good Shepherd and we His helpless, needy sheep. 

1. The Lost Sheep
2. The Hungry and Thirsty Sheep
3. The Unclean Sheep
4. The Defenceless Sheep
5. The Wounded Sheep
6. The Giving Sheep
7. The Hermit Sheep
8. His Flock
9. The Sheep Fold
10. The Final Gather

When I first read this book over 30 years ago I was particularly enlightened by the chapter about "the hermit sheep". Typically on their own these sheep are cranky, difficult, uncooperative, unshorn, unkempt and overburdened with self-wool (will). In NZ shepherds use well trained dogs to find these hermit sheep and flush them out of their highcountry wilderness hideaways so they can be cleaned up and returned to socialize with the flock.

Great thread. Thanks Alive.

[Alive]

2 hours ago, Michael37 said:

New Zealand is known for its sheep. According to Walter Godfrey Bowen M.B.E. born in Hastings NZ in 1922, sheep are not dumb, but they are helpless. This man was in the know, having become a world renowned expert in the international sheep and wool industry. For 30 years he travelled the sheep countries of the world consulting, researching, and teaching "the Bowen technique" of shearing. He achieved the world sheep shearing record of 456 adult sheep shorn in 9 hours back in 1953, and surpassed it in 1960 by shearing 559. He was also a successful Christian businessman and the author of books including "Wool Away" and "NZ and Its Sheep", but the one I have and treasure is called "WHY THE SHEPHERD?"

This book uses the following chapter headings to describe the interaction between shepherd and sheep and applies Scripture to expound the analogy of Christ the Good Shepherd and we His helpless, needy sheep. 

1. The Lost Sheep
2. The Hungry and Thirsty Sheep
3. The Unclean Sheep
4. The Defenceless Sheep
5. The Wounded Sheep
6. The Giving Sheep
7. The Hermit Sheep
8. His Flock
9. The Sheep Fold
10. The Final Gather

When I first read this book over 30 years ago I was particularly enlightened by the chapter about "the hermit sheep". Typically on their own these sheep are cranky, difficult, uncooperative, unshorn, unkempt and overburdened with self-wool (will). In NZ shepherds use well trained dogs to find these hermit sheep and flush them out of their highcountry wilderness hideaways so they can be cleaned up and returned to socialize with the flock.

Great thread. Thanks Alive.

This sounds like a book I would enjoy reading. Thank  you.

The Lord never wasted a word and those words recorded in the Gospels are precious in showing us sheep the character of Jesus Christ toward and for us sheep.

Its good for all of us to think on those things and especially new believers.

To consider the Good Shepherd leaving the 100 to search out and return the one lost-- is a powerful and mighty great thing.