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Poor human nature, when raised so high above its natural powers, stood in perilous need of a shepherd’s tender care. The new demands of every day made indispensible new and special daily helps. While our spirits can see and know the way, under the light of heavenly teaching, yet how weak and faltering is our flesh! We have the will to do; but to accomplish, we alone are not able.
And when at length the end approaches, they feel the need of His loving-kindness perhaps more than ever before. Like the shepherd’s flock, their needs are many and various.
“as the village school and books a few Supplied,” contrived from the beach, and the quay, and the fisher’s boat, and the inn’s fireside, and the tradesman’s shop, and the shepherd’s walk, and the smuggler’s hut, and the mossy moor, and the screaming gulls, and the restless waves, to fashion for himself a philosophy and a poetry of his own!
Here we cannot fail to observe the striking resemblance between this wayward tendency of the shepherd’s flock and our own inclination and propensity to wander from God and things eternal. The world is full of occasions to evil; at every turn of the road on our journey through life there are fierce and crouching enemies who are waiting the chance to capture and bear us away.
The man, who was exceeding awkward and ill at ease in such august company, spoke an outrageous shepherd’s jargon which even the Athenian understood with effort. But his business came out speedily. He was Ephialtes, the son of one Eurydemus, a Malian, a dull-witted grazier of the country, brought to Mardonius by hope of reward.
There are the changes and hardships of the climate—the cold and frost in winter, and the heat and drought of summer; there are the long rough walks, the steep and dangerous passes which they must climb and descend; there are perils from robbers, from wolves and wild beasts, which not infrequently demand the shepherd’s utmost watchfulness and care.
Then he thanked her and climbed up again. The two others had, however, considered their youngest brother so weak-minded that they believed that he would not find and bring anything back. “Why should we take so much trouble,” said they, and took from the back of the first shepherd’s wife that met them her coarse shawl and carried it home to the king.
Lee had never been satisfied that Hatty had made her choice to be among the lambs of Jesus’ flock, who love to hear their Shepherd’s voice, and try to follow Him. This letter, therefore, written in the frankness and simplicity of childhood, had brought joy to the mother’s heart.
This is contrary to justice, to humanity, to equity; it is the height of iniquity, the opposite to what causes divine satisfaction. This contrast is peculiar to the world of man: with other creatures—that is to say, with nearly all animals—there is a kind of justice and equality. Thus equality exists in a shepherd’s flock and in a herd of deer in the country.
If He had appeared like an angel, all bright and dazzling with glory, if He had come as an earthly king and ruler, crowned and clad in regal splendor, would it not have been hard for the poor ones of earth? would it not have been a trial for those who were in need of a shepherd’s love and care?
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