The next animal that I shall talk to you about is the SHEEP. People call
them "silly sheep," because they are so easily frightened, and show very
little sense of judgment when running away. This is owing to their
being driven about. We seem to think it right to make every creature
afraid of us, and by that means we weaken their faculties; or, to speak
in common words, we frighten them out of their wits. In eastern
countries it is quite different. There the flocks are not driven, but
led. You will remember that beautiful description in the tenth chapter
of John, where our blessed Lord Jesus Christ compares himself to a
shepherd, and his people to sheep. It is now above eighteen hundred
years since He spoke those words; but travellers tell us that it is
exactly the same at this day. Speaking of the shepherd, our Lord says,
"The sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and
leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth
before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a
stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not
the voice of strangers." Only fancy what a different sight it must be
from what we often witness! Instead of a poor, frightened, agitated
crowd of panting creatures, running here and there, with perhaps a man
or boy shouting after them, outspreading his arms to increase their
terror, and a rough dog jumping and barking among them, to see a
quiet-looking, happy flock walking after their shepherd, pressing
forward to get near him, and each coming readily when called by its
name. Of course, not being taught to run away from man, they are not
flurried and thrown into confusion so easily as ours are. But sheep are
always timid, weak, defenceless creatures, and therefore the Lord often
speaks of his disciples as sheep; because we are all as little able to
protest ourselves from our enemy, Satan, as a flock of sheep is to
defend itself from a wolf, or a lion; and he would have us keep close to
him for protection as the eastern sheep do to their careful shepherd.