All We Like Sheep Posted: 08 Aug 2013 12:00 AM PDT An Amazing Fact: In July 2005, Turkish shepherds, while they ate breakfast, watched in stunned and helpless silence as their entire flock of 1,500 sheep followed each other one by one over a cliff. In all, only 450 sheep died … the later ones being cushioned by the earlier ones. Sheep have a strong instinct to follow the one in front of them without “thinking.” Also, if a sheep gets tipped over and ends up on its back, it often cannot get back on its feet. Because of these and other strange tendencies, many people have assumed that sheep are dumb animals. However, sheep are very intelligent. They can recognize more than 50 other sheep’s faces for up to two years. A study in the journal Nature suggests they might be nearly as good as people at distinguishing faces in a crowd. You might be wondering how a sheep gets stuck when it tips over. Interestingly, it is usually the sheep that are fat or laden with a heavy coat of wool that get stuck. A sheep might lie down in a comfortable little hollow after eating, roll on its side, and stretch out to get a little more comfortable. If it a large sheep, its feet will be unable to reach the ground. The sheep then panics and flails its feet around, which often makes it flip over on its back. In this position the sheep is likely to die if the shepherd does not find it soon. Luke 15 tells us that Jesus takes notice of the missing sheep and leaves the 99 safe ones to go and find the one that has gotten itself into trouble. Notice that it is the fat, extra-woolly sheep that usually gets into trouble. Let us learn the lesson. When things appear to be going well and we are getting comfortable, this is the time of greatest danger. A loving Shepherd often directs His sheep to less comfortable places in order to keep them safe. KEY BIBLE TEXTS When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; - Deuteronomy 8:10-14
Posted on: Sat, 10 Aug 2013 15:58:38 +0000
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