By the Way: Be wary of the wolves

By Scott Raible on September 28, 2024.

The BBC once ran a story entitled “Sheep to warn of wolves via text message.” Though our imaginations provide us with a humorous image of a sheep texting “help” to their shepherd, the reality is a Swiss biologist developed a collar that monitors a sheep’s heart rate and sends out a text automatically when it increases. A sheep’s heart rate increases threefold when threatened. In most cases the sheep’s natural response is to flee, and even those not eaten by the wolf right away will flee long distances and even break fences to escape, which allow for them to be hunted easily later.

Ironically though we often refer to ourselves as “top of the food chain,” the Bible often refers to us as spiritual sheep. The prophet Isaiah says we are all like sheep that have gone astray (53:6), a thought echoed by apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans (3:23). Jesus’ last formal instruction to apostle Peter was to “tend” and “feed” Christ’s sheep (Jn 21:15-17). Just like sheep, our hearts can race when threatened or stressed. We might not even realize it, or that specific things are triggering our anxiety and fear, but it could be our spirit sensing a real spiritual predator.

1 Peter says clearly that we in Christ have a spiritual enemy that prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (5:8).

Like a lion, but also like a wolf that seeks to devour a sheep or if possible, the whole flock. Paul warns believers that after him “savage wolves” will come and try to devour the flock, and even some will rise up to twist and distort God’s Word to draw believers away from the safety of the flock (Acts 20:29-30). The devil (the enemy of our souls) and those under his influence will use their most powerful weapon to cause us to flee the flock and be devoured: fear. Fear of death, fear of relationship breakdown, fear of poverty, fear of illness, fear of failure, etc. Fear can be used to get us doubting the goodness and provision of God, our true shepherd.

As fear can cause a sheep to run away from the flock and even break through a fence meant to keep them safe, fear can cause us to run away from mere shadows that the devil has cast so we flee from the One whose “rod and staff” truly comfort, provide, and protect us. We might not have a collar that automatically sends a text when we are stressed or under a form of attack, but we have a promise that says the Lord is our Helper, we do not need to be afraid (Heb 13:6). Too often we try to do this life and it’s worries and cares on our own, and we forget that His presence and His peace is as close as a prayer away. Peter reminds us to cast our cares and anxieties upon Jesus, because He truly is the good shepherd (1 Peter 5:7)

Last thought. The biologist developed the collar for sheep because the wolf attacks were increasing among the sheep, especially on those flocks that did not have a sheep dog. Jesus is called the good Shepherd (John 10:14), and He calls certain members of His body to act as overseers and shepherds (Acts 20:28), to act like the sheepdogs and care and protect them from the wolves as an extension of the love and foresight of the good Shepherd. If you have been hurt in a local congregation (local flock) or hurt by an overseer/pastor/priest, it can be tempting to go this journey on your own.

May I encourage you to reach out again to the good Shepherd and allow Him by His Spirit to place you in a new flock, under the protection of a new overseer. Wolves in the natural prey on the isolated sheep because it is far easier than taking on the shepherd, the sheep dog, and the flock. Satan’s tactics in the spiritual are similar – it is easier to “devour” a believer who is isolated than one who is joined to a flock, protected by the sheep dog and by the love, wisdom, and guidance of the good Shepherd. Even though we all must go through the “valley of the shadow of death”, by following His leading, we can boldly say the Lord is my Shepherd and I will not lack or want for any good thing (…) because His goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life (Ps 23).

Scott Raible has served as an ordained minister in Medicine Hat for the past twenty years, and started Christian radio in Medicine Hat with Alive 99.5 and later served as an announcer and music director on 93.7 Praise FM. Scott Raible can be reached at scottraible@gmail.com

9
-8