The wolf pack crept up to the edge of the trees, but kept itself hidden in the thick forest. All eyes focused the vast, green meadow beyond the woods. There a flock of sheep enjoyed the lush grass, unaware of the predators lurking nearby.
Among the pack was a young wolf named Shadow. Shadow stood a bit taller than the wolves his age, and his shoulders were a bit broader. When wresting with the young wolves, this strength was unmatched, and he always came out on top. Short brawls were a way of life for the younger wolves, as they jockeyed for position in the pack. A match would start with two opponents growling, and staring each other down. Then, they would circle each other trying to get the best angle to attack.
Whenever Shadow fought, he was quick to lunge at the other wolf with all his strength. Going for his opponent’s neck with his strong jaw and sharp teeth, he would not let up until the other wolf ran off in defeat. For now, Shadow was second only to the older wolves, like his father, Diablo, the pack leader. For now he knew his place, but someday he would rule the pack.
Shadow was always eager to learn the ways of the pack, especially when it came to hunting. With his speed and strength, he was allowed to run with the top dogs. In fact, he had to be warned to stay behind the leaders, and not get too far ahead. He still had a lot to learn, but someday his aggressive nature would make him an excellent leader.
Shadow’s mouth watered as he eyed the sheep. Except for a few small rodents, the pack had not taken any prey for three days, so his hunger was relentless. The thought of fresh lamb meat caused him to pace back and forth, eager to rush out and snatch one of the herd.
Diablo, and the older wolves, knew better than to go after this flock. The sheep kept themselves in a close group. Under the watchful eye of the shepherd, the sheep had nothing to fear. All the pack could do was to linger at the edge of the meadow for hours, waiting for an opportunity.
Eventually Shadow grew unbearably restless. As the older wolves began to give up on the situation, and wander back into the forest, Shadow stayed behind to watch the herd. He started telling himself that he was fast enough, and strong enough to race out to the herd and bring back one of the lambs. Providing the other wolves with a fresh kill would make him a hero, and show the pack what a skillful hunter he was.
He watched every movement of every lamb, and paid close attention to the shepherd. Finally, the right moment came, or so he thought. The shepherd sat on the far side of the flock, leaned against a large rock, and prepared his mid-day meal. That’s when Shadow burst out of the woods into the open meadow, straight for the herd. However, before he was even half way to the herd, the alert sheep picked up on the danger. The ones nearest the approaching wolf pushed toward the center of the herd, and bleated loudly.
Shadow raced forward with jaws wide open, ready to clamp down on a small lamb, but the shepherd was quick to react, hurling a stone that caught Shadow square in the neck. The shepherd was skillful with his sling, and he had excellent aim. In no time he had another stone in his sling, ready to go. The pain from the projectile was intense, but Shadow still thought he had a chance at the lamb. When the second stone slammed into his ribs, he had to admit defeat. He quickly realized that he wasn’t going to get a meal from this herd.
The young wolf dashed for the safety of the woods before another stone came his way. Back among the pack, he did not receive a warm welcome. Instead of providing fresh meat for the pack, and with it, a hero’s welcome, Shadow took a fierce snap from Diablo. It was the leader’s way of punishing the young wolf. Even though Diablo’s teeth didn’t penetrate Shadow’s skin, he got the message loud and clear. Going after the herd by himself had been a dumb move. Ashamed, he trudged off with his head hung low, away from the others. There, he licked his painful side where the stone had struck his ribs.
For the next two days, the pack roamed the countryside in search of food. Day and night, Shadow’s hunger gnawed at him, growing more intense by the hour. To whine and complain would have been a sign of weakness, so he did his best to hide his discomfort. Besides, the whole pack was suffering just as much as he was.
Diablo led the pack along, mile after mile, until late in the evening, the leader brought the pack to a halt at the crest of a hill. Shadow trotted to the front of the pack to see what was happening.
Keeping themselves hidden in a patch of tall grass, the wolves peered down the hill where they found a flock of sheep grazing below.
This herd was behaving much differently from the last one. While some of the sheep stayed close together, many wandered far from the safety of the herd. The shepherd seemed to be doing his best to keep the animals in a group, but the sheep were determined to carelessly roam wherever they pleased.
At the top of the hill, the pack leader waited patiently, studying the situation, and planning his next move. The nearest lamb wandered to within one hundred yards of the hungry wolves.
They watched as the shepherd marched up the hill to gather one of the wandering sheep. With a firm tap of his staff, he sent the lamb galloping back toward the others. Then he went for another wanderer, but this stubborn one ran away from the flock. The shepherd ran after the woolly creature, creating an opportunity for the wolves.
Diablo charged down the hill for the nearby lamb, with Shadow and the rest of the pack close behind. The terrified lamb ran for his life, but it was too late. The pack split in two, with half flanking the sheep on the left and the other half on the right. They surrounded the helpless lamb before the shepherd knew what happened.
In seconds, it would all be over. The pack would carry the lamb away, and Shadow would enjoy a delicious lamb dinner.
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What do the shepherd, the sheep, and the wolves each represent?
(note, in the Bible wolves are used to portray evil, but they are part of God’s creation. They hunt, because that’s the way He made them.)
As Christians, what happens to us when we stay close to The Shepherd?
What can happen when we wander away?
What might wandering from the flock look like in a Christian’s life?
List some things you can do today to stay close to Jesus, our shepherd?