He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Reflective Thought
Sheep need guidance. Without it, they’ll wander aimlessly, putting them in dangerous circumstances potentially resulting in harm or death. A good shepherd leads sheep to green pastures and quiet waters, which they thrive in. There are also occasions when shepherds must guide their sheep through challenging and sometimes dangerous terrain. Wise shepherds do this well.
One way the shepherd guides is to lead from the front. Why? Sheep are fearful and hardwired to mindlessly follow each other. With the shepherd in front, he sees potential danger down the path and makes adjustments. Also, since he’s in front of the herd, they’ll naturally follow him.
The shepherd also guides his sheep by choosing the right paths for them. This doesn’t mean they’re the shortest or easiest paths. But it does mean the path is safe from thieves, predators, or obstacles, which is to say that right paths lead to life; other paths lead to death. Good shepherds choose the former.
As our Shepherd, God guides us through the example of Jesus, who modeled the way for us to love God and others. Scripture says we’ll never face anything that Jesus hasn’t first endured and he will faithfully lead us through. And through reading the Scriptures, we learn how to walk in God’s ways, “along the right paths,” applying his truths to our circumstances and relationships. Granted, his paths aren’t necessarily the easiest or shortest, but they do help us learn to trust him, increase our resilience, and lead us to a deeper experience of God’s love and faithfulness.
Questions to Ponder
Where could you use God’s guidance today?
Will you follow him as he offers it?
Prayer
Good Shepherd, I want to follow you along your right paths today so that I may bring honor to your name. Thank you for your good and faithful guidance in every area of my life.
