The Sheepish Scribe

A shepherd tends to the sick and wounded animals in his flock. Sheep can find more ways to damage or injure themselves than any other critter the Good Lord ever created. (Perhaps He did that to make a point?) They are forever getting a head stuck in a feeder, a leg stuck in a gate, or eating something never intended to see the inside of a sheep.

I had one ewe who was uncommonly fond of sticking her head through the feeder and getting it stuck. She seemed content to wait for me to come to the rescue, only to resist my best efforts to free her. The more I pushed or pulled, the more she pushed or pulled in the opposite direction. These ovine (look it up!) tug-of-wars would end with her finally free and me bathed in sweat with at least two new scrapes somewhere on my body. Said ewe no longer resides at Twin Willows Farm.

Just because the shepherd knows what the sheep needs, doesn't mean the sheep understands that. Last winter our barn was invaded by a particularly nasty bacteria that causes mastitis. After the infection of one ewe and the infection and death of a second one, I knew we needed the big guns. I use antibiotics sparingly. In fact, I had to go purchase a new bottle as the one I had on hand was five years past date. But sometimes it's needed. Getting the sheep to understand that, however, is not possible. They only know that getting caught five days in a row and jabbed with a needle is not fun.

Our Shepherd cares for us as well. "But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall." Malachi 4:2

Sometimes the medicine is bitter and doesn't go down well. Sometimes the jab of the needle hurts. Sometimes the healing takes longer than we wish. But always He is taking care of us and giving us the strength to see it through... even when we can't see it or understand it.