A Devoted Life: Courageous Sheep
Scripture tells us that we, Christ-followers in this world, are at war. Not only are we at war (2 Corinthians 4:10), but we are at war with a cunning, experienced, malevolent force (1 Peter 5:8).
We, Christ-followers in this world, are sheep (Matthew 18:12-13)! Jesus is our good shepherd and takes good care of us (John 10). But in Matthew 10:16, Jesus tells us, a little frighteningly, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.”
I’m with Red Riding Hood. I want to hide from the wolves! And yet, I am called to be a disciple of Jesus. I must be like the man in Luke 9:57. “As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’” Sometimes that means into battle.
As I began to try to make sense of this, knowing the protective nature of our Savior but also our vulnerability in the world, I came across a most informative quote by Alexander the Great: “I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.”
Alexander the Great, widely known in the ancient world, was “great” as his name suggests. He built and conquered a huge empire and was largely undefeated in battle. So to hear what kind of army he would fear is informative. It’s not the followers. It’s not the soldiers. It’s the commander in chief.
Jesus is unique in history. He was both fully man and fully God. He was sinless, and also the ransom for sin. He is both a lamb and a lion. “Then one of the elders said to me, . . .‘See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed’ . . . Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne.” (Revelation 5:5, 6).
We need not fear what comes our way in this life, in this constant battle, but not because we are battle hardened and protected by armor. It’s because we are cherished and protected by Christ, who has already defeated our enemy.
Having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Colossians 2:15
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