If we say God is our Shepherd, we can safely say that we are His sheep. If He is our Shepherd and we are His sheep, we can again safely say that He is the One who leads our path. (Psalm 23)
And, as sheep of Christ, can we suggest to our Shepherd “a pasture” He needs to lead us to? Oh, no, we can’t. Have you ever heard a sheep saying to its shepherd, “I don’t think this pasture is a good one for me. I know a better one down there”?
The answer is: you haven’t. Why? Sheep know nothing. The one and only thing a sheep is good at doing is following, and anything more than a “Follow me” instruction confuses a sheep. But a sheep becomes a follower after it does two things: It denies itself (means, it accepts no instruction from its flesh as to how to do life but from its shepherd) and it picks up its cross (means, it picks up a name that has NO honor and prestige, “a follower” – that is, a sheep with no identity and life apart from the shepherd it follows).
Jesus said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matthews 16:24)
A person, who denies himself, picks up the cross, and follows Christ, is called a disciple of Christ. Are you? ///