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Chapter 1

Two Shepherds The morning light spread slowly over the hills east of Jerusalem. As it spilled into a grassy valley, two shepherds could be seen herding their flock* of sheep across the rocky hills toward Bethlehem. The younger shepherd, David, anxiously scanned the rugged hillsides. Is another hungry lion hiding nearby? Are there any wolves like the ones that attacked Father? We’re still two days from home. With Uncle Simon’s eyesight failing, I’ll have to watch out for both of us … what will I do if he falls or we’re attacked? The sheep clustered near the shepherds, with a few stragglers trailing behind like a broken string of beads. David dropped back to make sure none were lost. Satisfied, he bounded forward to rejoin his uncle. “Father told me how our ancestors walked these hills. I feel blessed being a shepherd in the same hills as King David. Don’t you, Uncle Simon?” “Yes, his family lived near our home at Bethlehem,”1 replied the older man. The youth hopped over a rock and glanced back at his uncle. Simon moved with hesitant steps that made him seem older than his years. David’s father, Abdiel, had been Simon’s youngest brother. The two men had worked their flocks together. Now Simon was training David to be a shepherd. Although the lad had recently turned twelve, his small frame and slender face reminded Simon of how David’s father had looked when he was David’s age. “Your father held a special place in my heart,” said Simon. “Wish I’d been with him when the wolves attacked. Perhaps he’d still be alive. It hurts me to think about it … even now.”

Flock – A group of sheep.

THE SHEPHERD’S POUCH6

“Hurts me too,” mumbled David, blinking back the burning behind his eyes. They stopped in the shade of some large rocks to let the sheep rest. Simon bent over one of his ewes* and used his thumbs to pull open her mouth. “Something wrong, Uncle?” “Didn’t eat much this morning. Could be getting sick. Don’t ever forget, David, a sick sheep can quickly become a dead sheep if we don’t catch the early signs of illness.” Examining the sheep’s mouth, Simon quizzed the boy. “How many permanent teeth do you see?” “Eight … right there in front, on her lower jaw.” “How old would that make her?” “About four years old and full grown.” David smiled with confidence. Months earlier Simon had taught him how to tell a sheep’s age from its teeth.* Nodding his approval, Simon continued, “How did God design these animals so they could live in rocky hills and dry riverbeds?” “They can walk long distances to graze and drink water.” “True, but look at her mouth and the hard pad on the roof of it, David. What’s special about how God designed her mouth?” “Oh, I see what you mean. She can eat the really tough grass out here because of that pad.” “Yes, she traps the grass between her lower teeth and the pad. When she jerks her head, her sharp front teeth cut off the grass.”

The tall, bearded man smiled as he released the ewe. “David, when the grazing isn’t good, there’s another way God provides for them.” “What’s that?” “Their fat tail.2 The extra fat in the tail is important for their survival. If a fat-tail sheep doesn’t eat well, its tail gets smaller because the sheep is using the energy stored in the fat. See how our Creator takes care of the details?” Nodding, the boy squatted on a rock to watch the resting sheep. “They look so wise when they chew their cud.”* “Yes, and they ate that wet grass vigorously

Lambs – Sheep less than one year of age. Ewe – Mature female sheep. Ram – Mature male sheep.

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this morning. They have lots to chew now.” “I think it’s amazing, Uncle, that they can go all day without water after they eat grass wet with dew.” The ewe directly in front of David caught his eye. She coughed up a mouthful of cud and chewed it more completely. Her big back teeth ground the cud from side to side as she chewed, and chewed, and chewed. David’s face wrinkled into a smile. “Ah! Now I see why Father repeatedly told me to study sheep and the psalms!” “What do you mean?” “Remember how my parents started me memorizing some of the holy writings when I was five?”3

“Yes, they did well. Your mother sang and chanted the psalms around your house. It’s our responsibility to teach each generation the glorious deeds of the Lord and to keep our Jewish heritage alive. We must never forget the works of God, but put our hope in Him and keep His commandments.” 4 David bounced in excitement. “True, Uncle, but Father started me on one of King David’s psalms. Father called it the Shepherd’s Psalm because it started, ‘The Lord is my shepherd’5 and it’s written from a sheep’s point of view. He made me recite it over and over, for he said it would help me to understand sheep. He emphasized that the flock would teach me how this psalm applies to my life and how it points toward God. Sure enough, Uncle Simon, look!” He pointed to the ewe he had been watching. “Right there!” Simon frowned and scratched his head. David continued, “The sheep bites off the grass and then coughs it up later to chew again. That’s what Father wanted me to do with the holy writings. Memorizing is like biting off Scripture—it helps get the writings inside me. Later on, I chew them

and get more meaning out of them, just like the sheep and her cud!” Face aglow and dark curls jiggling, David danced around his uncle. Enjoying the boy’s whoops of delight, Simon called out, “Your father would be proud of you.” As if slapped by the words, David froze. Shoulders drooping, head sagging, he struggled to find the words he needed. “Oh, Uncle, I’m so ashamed,” he choked past

The Shepherd’s Psalm is written from a sheep’s point of view.

Cud – Food returned from the sheep’s stomach to its mouth to be chewed a second time.

THE SHEPHERD’S POUCH8

the lump in his throat. “At the time, I didn’t believe Father because I didn’t think I could learn anything from stupid, smelly sheep.” “Do you still feel that way?”

Calmer now, the boy stared at the flock. “No, since I started working with you and actually living with the sheep, I’ve changed a lot.” David’s body suddenly stiffened. “Some sheep are pointed in the wrong direction, Uncle. I’ll turn them before they stray too far.” He loaded a small stone in his shepherd’s sling*6 and let it fly toward the offending sheep. Startled by the sound of the rock landing just beyond them, the sheep turned back toward the flock. Pleased with his aim, the boy smiled and thought, My sling lightens my work.

David’s stomach growled, reminding him that it had been hours since he had eaten. He took a drink from his goatskin, bulging with water,7 before taking his shepherd’s pouch* off his shoulder. The pouch had food his mother had prepared: barley bread, goat cheese, dried figs, and olives. Other items in his pouch were for the care of the sheep—salt, olive oil, spices, and herbs. The two shepherds ate, but continued watching their flock. Only the wavering cry of bleating* sheep pierced the air. David spoke. “Before you gave me those newborn lambs to start rebuilding our family flock, I really didn’t like sheep, Uncle Simon. I hated eating, sleeping, and living with them.” “Why?” “I blamed them for Father’s death.” Simon’s bushy eyebrows pushed together, but he remained silent. “Working with you is changing my attitude toward sheep—and being a

shepherd,” David continued. “One day when I was … around six … about the time my sister was born … Father took me with him to the common field* near home. I loved being with him, but that particular day turned out terribly.” “Was that the day you broke your arm?”

“I didn’t think I could learn anything from stupid,

smelly sheep.”

Shepherd’s pouch – A bag in which the shepherd carried things.

Bleat – The cry of sheep: baa, baa.

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“Yes. We were working with the sheep when they suddenly started running. A huge lion8 was at the edge of the field by the trees. I felt terrified. I ran as fast as I could … just like the sheep. But I tripped on a rock and broke my arm. An older ewe died—I guess from fear—and a lamb broke its leg.” “I remember,” said Simon. “The other shepherds threw stones from their slings and yelled to chase off the lion.” “Yes, but that didn’t make my fear go away. I cried for days.” “Wasn’t that because of your arm?” “No! Lions attack flocks. I was afraid that one would eat me if I ever worked with sheep again. I was so terrified, Uncle. Every time I thought I might be around sheep again, I cried … or threw up.” David sighed. “After Father died, I didn’t know

enough to take on my responsibility of caring for the flock. I still felt scared and didn’t want to be a shepherd.” “You’ve come a long way since then, David.” “Yes, now I understand why sheep are easily frightened. I’ve felt the same way. They run away from unfamiliar sights or sounds because they’re scared. Since they don’t have sharp teeth or claws, running is their only defense.”9

Simon tapped the toe of his worn leather sandal on a rock to dislodge a pebble. “David, do you remember what the flock did after running from the lion?” “No, I was hurt—and too scared.” “Their herding instinct* caused them to regroup and huddle together; then they turned to face the lion. Forming a tight cluster is safer than being scattered when a predator is near.”10

“But, Uncle, doesn’t their safety come from their shepherd?” “Yes, David, it does.” The boy continued, “I’m learning that even if I’m scared, I can’t leave my flock. They depend on me. I must not let them down.” Glancing at Simon’s face, David hastened to add, “I know that doesn’t sound like the boy who started with you … but I was afraid of my own shadow back then.”

“A huge lion was at the edge of the field by

the trees.”

Common field – An open field or pasture with common rights for grazing.

Instinct – Behavior the animal did not have to learn.

THE SHEPHERD’S POUCH10

The elderly man smiled and removed his other sandal. “Without you, Uncle Simon, our family would have been much worse off after Father’s death. It helped that you managed the remaining sheep and gave the money to Mother when you sold one. “I remember when you asked me to help you care for all the sheep, yours and ours. That happened about a year before my first lambing* season. Whew, I had no idea how hard lambing would be. Those baby lambs just kept coming, sometimes several at a time. I remember watching the ewes night and day to see if they needed help giving birth.” “Yes, David, but watching the birth of lambs is one of the best rewards of raising sheep.” “I don’t think I’ll ever understand sheep the way you do, Uncle. You must sleep with one eye and both ears open. You catch the smallest sign of trouble and know what each sound means. I want to be a good shepherd like you.” “You will be—in time,” the old man added softly as David left to check on some distant sheep. Glancing back at Simon, the boy marveled. How can Simon seem so happy when he’s going blind? His peace and contentment* irritated me at first—but now I wish I could be more like

him. As David strolled through the flock, an idea pushed its way into the front of his mind. “Look at that! Why didn’t I notice this before? These sheep are contented because they feel secure. They’re just like Uncle. They know they have a good shepherd who takes care of them.” Spinning around, he raced toward Simon.

“Uncle! I know what they’re showing me!” Nearing the older shepherd, he blurted, “Their contentment just helped me understand why you and Father often said, ‘People aren’t content unless they fully trust in the Lord as their Good Shepherd.’ ” Simon’s sun-dried face crinkled into a big smile. The boy continued. “Just like these sheep, I have to really trust in the Good Shepherd. I must be committed to going His way, and not mine.”

“I was afraid of my own shadow.”

Lambing – The process of giving birth to lambs.

“I still felt scared and

didn’t want to be a shepherd.”

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“Right, David. Either God is your shepherd and you trust Him and commit to His way, or … you go your own way, and He isn’t your shepherd. The sheep aren’t in charge … the shepherd is. He knows the proper path. If you say God is your shepherd, you’re acknowledging that He is in charge of your life … and that He determines what path you take. Freedom lies within the path. God determines the boundaries, just as you did for those sheep about to stray.” Simon added, “If someone tells me ‘The Lord is my shepherd,’ then I think to myself, ‘Show me your contentment.’ If you’ve put everything in the hands of the Lord as your Good Shepherd, your contentment shows your trust.” Motioning toward the flock, the old man added, “Works that way with sheep.” “Uncle Simon, didn’t King David suffer through some bad times?” “Yes, before he became the greatest King of Israel, an angry King Saul tried to kill him, forcing David to hide and live in caves.11 Yet in the psalm David said, ‘The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want’12—for he decided to be content with what God had provided. He did his best with what he had, instead of worrying about what he didn’t have. “You know, son, that can be true for us, too. God didn’t intend for us humans to continually worry or be angry. He wants us to trust Him completely as our Good Shepherd. Our emotions often show what we really believe. I’ve found that believing God is totally in control allows me to replace fear and worry with peace and contentment.” The young shepherd listened quietly. Simon’s voice grew stronger. “How can anyone be restless and discontented if he really believes the Creator of the universe is his Lord and Shepherd?”

The question seemed to hang in the air, bouncing between the hills. David strolled through the flock and pondered his uncle’s words, remembering his earlier discontent. Uncle is wise. Many times I’ve found his words are true, even though I didn’t believe him at first. I remember how I resisted his offer to help me rebuild our flock and learn more about shepherding … Mother knew his offer was generous when he promised to give me half of his new lambs if I would help him with his flock for a year. He especially

Contentment – To be contented, satisfied, fulfilled, unworried, untroubled, at ease, at peace.

“People aren’t content unless

they fully trust in the Lord as their Good Shepherd.”

THE SHEPHERD’S POUCH12

wanted my help during the lambing season. Hmm-m. I wasn’t much help at first. But everything changed when the lambs started coming … I’m not sure what it was … something about seeing a small new life come into the world … and realizing that I would be responsible for it. A smile played at the corners of David’s mouth. Tiny, newborn lambs change quickly. Nibbling … climbing … getting into trouble. They loved their ‘racing game,’ running back and forth from the fence to that small hill again and again every day. Sometimes they would even spring into the air or jump for joy. David chuckled. That orphan lamb I hand-fed has followed me everywhere as if I were her mother. She even sleeps nearby. David felt a nudge on his leg. “Ah, you knew I was thinking about you, didn’t you, girl?” He squatted down and lovingly rubbed the ewe’s side. Staring at the flock around him, he added, “Look at all of you now. You’ve grown. Most of my ewes are going to have lambs, and some may even have twins. My flock will be increasing.” Glancing toward his uncle, a serious look stole across David’s face. He

murmured to the ewe, “What if he goes blind before we get home? I’m trying to make sure he doesn’t stumble, but what would I do if he couldn’t see at all?” His stomach tightened. “It’s strange. For years I’ve been too frightened to even be around sheep—yet now, I’m enjoying being with Uncle Simon and learning to become a shepherd! But then, he has always been with me … I depend on him. What do you think, girl? Can I be a shepherd all by myself ?”

David stood. Motionless, he studied the sheep. I guess I won’t really be alone. I’ll have to trust the Lord more as my Shepherd … just as Uncle Simon does.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. — Psalm 23:1

“What if he goes blind before we get

home?”

“If someone tells me, ‘The Lord is my shepherd,’ then I think to myself, ‘Show me your contentment.’ ”