Sheep

Whether you’re a pastor, a parent, a teacher or an employer, there’s always going to be the sheep that exhausts you, makes your job harder, tries your patience, challenges you, wants to graze in the pasture 10 feet from the rest of the sheep “just because”, stirs the other sheep up, flirts with the wolves, thinks they’re smarter than the shepherd but doesn’t want the responsibility and accountability of leadership, rebels just a little so he’s not “a sheep” like everyone else, challenges the legitimacy and purpose of every fence in the pasture, etc.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NASB

[9] And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. [10] Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in difficulties, in behalf of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Galatians 5:22-26 NASB

[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. [24] Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. [25] If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit as well. [26] Let’s not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Romans 8:26 NASB

[26] Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

Hebrews 4:14-16 NASB

[14] Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our confession. [15] For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. [16] Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.