Faith, Folklore, and Friends

The  Lord  is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters . He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the  Lord  for ever. Psalm 23

They are as old as man. Sheep have been providing food and fleece since the creation. In some parts of the world even today, livelihoods depend solely on sheep. Sheep are not the most intelligent animals. If they wander off, they cannot find their way home. Their shepherd has to leave the rest of the flock, and go searching for the lost ones. Sheep do have their fine points.... They have a tendency to move out of the dark into light. When disturbed, they tend to run uphill instead of down. They know their shepherd's face and voice. They have a natural inclination to follow their shepherd to new pastures. All sheep have a tendency to stay close to other members of the flock. They are prone to become stressed when separated from other flock members. After a lost sheep has been found, the shepherd puts them in the middle of the flock, where they are safe. Safe in the group, led by a shepherd who loves and cares for them. My sheep listen to my voice; I know th...