I JUST WANT TO BE A SHEEP,
BAA BAA!
When my children were little there was a cute little ditty that we would sing that included this line. Here is the whole thing for your edification and enjoyment:
I just want to be a sheep, baa baa
I just want to be a sheep, baa baa
I just want to be a sheep, baa baa
I just want to be a sheep, baa baa
I don’t want to be a Pharisee
I don’t want to be a Pharisee
I don’t want to be a Pharisee
‘Cause they’re not fair, you see!
I just want to be a sheep, baa baa
I just want to be a sheep, baa baa
I just want to be a sheep, baa baa
I just want to be a sheep, baa baa
I don’t want to be a Sadducee
I don’t want to be a Sadducee
I don’t want to be a Sadducee
‘Cause they’re just sad, you see!
I just want to be a sheep, baa baa
I just want to be a sheep, baa baa
I just want to be a sheep, baa baa
I just want to be a sheep, baa baa
Pretty neat, huh? What the singer of this song is saying is he wants to be a follower of Christ, for Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
Now, for much of my life, I was under the misconception that sheep are dumb. The main reason is that people would always allude to the fact that if one sheep jumped off a cliff all the sheep behind them would jump off the cliff, too! The following, however, gives a pretttt-tttty good explanation of what is the real reason this is true!
Due to their strong flocking instinct and failure to act independently of one another, sheep have been universally branded “stupid.” But sheep are not stupid. Their only protection from predators is to band together and follow the sheep in front of them. If a predator is threatening the flock, this is not the time to act independently. At the same time, there is a growing body of evidence that sheep may actually possess some smarts!
But wait, there’s more! Here are some additional facts that show that sheep aren’t as dumb as we thought!
- Like various other species, including humans, sheep make different vocalizations to communicate different emotions. They also display and recognize emotion by facial expressions and prefer a smile to a frown.
- Sheep are able to experience emotions such as fear, anger, rage, despair, boredom, disgust, and happiness.
- Sheep are very gentle animals and were one of the first animals to be domesticated.
- They build friendships, stick up for one another in fights, and feel sad when their friends are sent to slaughter.
(https://www.four-paws.us/campaigns-topics/topics/farm-animals/10-amazing-facts-sheep)
So …. If sheep aren’t dumb, what are they? The answer? They are dependent! They are dependent on the one who protects them … they are dependent on the Shepherd!
The GOOD NEWS is that when we become the sheep of the Good Shepherd, we can, and should!, be dependent on Him for everything!!! The entirety of our lives can be turned over to Him, and we can live safe in the knowledge that He will take care of us. That’s why I can honestly say, “I just want to be a Sheep, Baa Baa!!!”