Shepherded: I am Helped

Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me

In biblical times, a shepherd consistently used both a rod and a staff to tend the flock.  Both were used to protect the sheep, each in a very specific way.

The rod was used to (1) fight off wild animals, (2) count the sheep and (3) direct them. The rod prodded them during the day in the fields and at night into the sheepfold.  A willing sheep would respond to the prodding, but a stubborn, strong-willed sheep would not.  

While sheep might not be as dumb as often suggested, they do have characteristics that give some merit to that claim. They’ll indiscriminately eat just about anything, regardless of whether it is something that could harm or kill them. They endlessly wander, seemingly without direction. And many sheep stubbornly resist the shepherd’s prodding.  That’s why the staff, with a crook at the end, is needed.  The shepherd uses the staff to exert his authority and to gently, but firmly, pull the sheep back to the fold and keep the sheep moving in the right direction.  He can also use the crook of the staff to pull the sheep from harm.

Jesus’ Rod and Staff

So what is the rod and staff that our Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd uses?  I suggest, figuratively, it is His Word.  The Holy Scriptures move us, direct us, guide us, and even correct us, to put us back on the right path and keep us in the sheepfold under the care of our Shepherd.