I AM Shepherd

BY DORAL PULLEY

• Scripture – “I AM the Good shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep (John 10:11).”
• Denial: “I do not want for anything.”
• Affirmation – “The Lord is my shepherd and I shepherd others.”

In the Old Testament, David identified God as Jehovah Rophi, which means I AM that I AM your shepherd. In the most popular psalm, Psalm 23, he painted a beautiful picture of the shepherd and sheep relationship: the still waters and the green pastures. Jesus, the Christ, who is a part of David’s lineage built on this metaphor and decrees, “I AM the Good Shepherd.”

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are also called to be Good Shepherds and we answer the calls through our own declarative statements, “I AM the Good Shepherd.” A Good Shepherd knows how to deal all the different type of personalities that can appear in a sheepfold: lambs, sheep, goats and wolves. There is no personality that the I AM can’t handle.

Lambs are sheep that are less than one year old. As Good Shepherds, the I AM empowers us to nurture new converts with love and care. The I AM also empowers us to feed the sheep with the principles and practices that will enable them to live holistically healthy, balanced and well-rounded lives. As Good Shepherd, the I AM empowers us to correct and redirect goats whose thoughts, words and actions are contrary to the truth.  The I AM also empowers us to eradicate wolves whose motives are to tear down others and the Kingdom work.

Reflection Question – Which role of shepherd resonates most with you? Why?

Rev. Doral Pulley is the senior pastor of Unity of Midtown, 511 Prescott St. S, St. Petersburg.