As many of you know, Whitney's radio broadcast is called "Reach Out and Trust" and Mac McDaniel and I named it that for good reason.  As we say in the show's intro, "These days it's hard to know who to trust and how to tell who to trust."  That's because there are all sorts of voices and vices clamoring to claim our trust, our allegiance, our vote, our wallet.  Think for one moment how many solicitations you receive in just one week promising to make your life better if you only buy this product, support this candidate, live in this neighborhood or buy into this diet.  We are subjected to such a barrage, we end up not knowing who or what to trust anymore.  So, in this fashion, Jesus says sheep may have something to teach us.

We tend to think of sheep as rather dimwitted, but according to Jesus, they are in fact quite discriminating and smart.  Sheep don't follow the latest fad or craze for the day; they only follow that which their experience verifies will nourish them, protect them, care for them, and sustain them.  They aren't fooled by imposters, masquerading as someone "watching out for their interests."  No, they inherently know their master's voice because it's consistent and because of the master's proven record for truly caring for them, for treating them as an investment.  The writer of Psalm 23 says that the true shepherd is one who supplies the sheep with protection, abundant food, clean water, and a safe and peaceful environment.  In John, Jesus says he's not only the gate to the sheep pen where the sheep are kept safe and sound but in fact, he is the shepherd as well, the one who is willing to give his very life in protecting his herd if need be.  Now THAT'S knowing who you can trust and how you know who to trust.  But it requires having the brains of a sheep to know it.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 
   He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
   he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
   for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
   I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
   your rod and your staff—
   they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
   my whole life long.

‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit.  The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.  The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.  They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them.  I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.