Shorn the Sheep

A little while ago we had good friends around for dinner; the husband is European New Zealander and the wife is Japanese.  We were reminiscing about our childhood, chatting about watching TV in the 80’s when the subject of the Dog Show came up.  Basically The Dog show was a show about sheep herding.  We only had two channels in those days so when the dog show was on prime time Sunday night you can bet your biz that most people were watching it (and discussing it in the playground the next day).  Well our Japanese friend just couldn’t believe it! and when you watch the clip below you probably won’t either but that was entertainment for NZ’ers in the 80’s. 

  

Another farming show started in the 70’s (which I still watch with great nostalgia) is Country Calendar.  I used to watch it with my grandparents and every time I watch it now it brings back great memories.  It’s along the same lines as the Dog show – showcasing NZ farmers and their lives.  Good Grandma TV you might say.  Anyways, last night’s season finale struck me at one point as worthy to talk about here.   

So the farmers had brought their sheep to the shearing shed and as the shorn sheep were exiting the shed the narrator said “freed from their woolly burdens the sheep go back to the pastures” and as he said this the sheep were leaping and “gambling” away.

It struck me that here was another aspect to the image the Bible paints of us; as sheep.  Yes we are foolish, going every which way.  Yes we need good shepherds [Jesus] with good dogs [pastors] to lead us into the right way [perseverance till eternal bliss] and yes we can be lead astray easily by wolves in sheep's clothing [bad pastors].  Life can be a struggle and burden for us sheep, as hard for us as a Japanese person trying to understand NZ culture.

But on that day when Jesus leads us to the shed from which none of us will return [death] and frees us finally and completely from our woolly burden of sin then we shall indeed enter the eternal pastures leaping and gambling for sheer joy.  Come Lord Jesus.