It’s one of the distinctive traits of many animals, specifically sheep, whose top-heavy coats and lack of any real defensive qualities (strong jaws, sharp claws, speed…) seem to make everyday life one big worry, observable by even the most casual observer. And truth be told, sheep aren’t the only animals whose trepidation and anxiety over food, shelter and safety tend to dominate their countenance. “We, like sheep…” goes the Handel oratorio, reminding us, as Isaiah, its inspiration more fully describes, that the jitters are an integral part of the human condition.

When we break down the things that trouble us most we may find, as the main character in Andy Andrews ‘The Noticer” puts it; “Forty percent of the things you worry about will never occur… Thirty percent of the things you worry about are things that have already happened… Twelve percent of all worries have to do with needless imaginings about health… Ten percent would be petty little nothing worries about what other people think… So if the math is right that leaves eight percent… eight percent for legitimate concerns… these legitimate concerns that can actually be dealt with. Most people spend so much time fearing the things that are never going to happen or can’t be controlled that they have no energy to deal with the few things they can actually handle.”

The constant presence of the jitters may be one reason why the first and most popular characterization of Jesus was that of a shepherd, as the earliest catacomb art suggests (see above, 250CE, Rome). And while Jesus’ image has gone through a gauntlet of interpretations through two millennia (The Rabbi- 1st Century, King of Kings-4th Century, The Liberator-20th Century, etc. [see Jaroslav Pelikan ‘Jesus Through the Centuries]), the pervasive representation of Christ as one who tends, cares, and knows us as a shepherd knows his flock, continues to comfort, bring relief and inspire the sheep.

This image of the shepherd (John 10:11-18, this Sunday's Gospel reading) suggests that Jesus is fully invested in us. He does not care for us casually or lightly, but deeply and intimately. His love for us is not something based on personal gain - which is why it is so hard for us to understand. God loves us because God IS love. God does not expect to get anything out of us - rather he seems to exist to do nothing other than to love us.

The question for us is, and always will be, how do we respond?
In fact, the most important question that hits us as each morning as we get up out of bed is this: how will I respond to God’s love today?

How will you?