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A kind man noticed that a store clerk had lost a lot of weight. He soon learned that she needed dialysis nine hours each night. Her health was fading fast. The man gave her one of his kidneys–a beautiful example of kindness. Jesus Christ portrayed Himself to us as the caring Good Shepherd. In John 10, Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd. The good Shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.” Using this analogy, Jesus assures us of his love for us, that He will do whatever it takes to provide and protect us. In this text, Jesus says he knows each sheep by name. Think of it! He knows each of us perfectly and intimately. He brings each sheep into His sheepfold. On earth, the sheepfold might well be His church, where He gathers His people for worship and nurture. Beyond this earth, God has prepared a place for his sheep in heaven. Jesus says he goes before his sheep and He leads them in and out of the sheepfold. In this intimate relationship with Jesus our Shepherd, we have salvation, protection, and provision. He then leads us out into green pastures for food, water, and exercise. He defends us when our enemies try to destroy us. He stands between the enemy and us. His love is so strong that He willingly sacrificed His life to save us. Indeed, Jesus Christ as our Good Shepherd is exactly who we need in our complex and chaotic world.
