A couple of years ago our family was driving the road between PUC and Santa Rosa on a Sabbath afternoon, and happened upon a sheepdog championship. Leaning on the fence we saw sheep set free from a pen and directed out into a huge open meadow. If my memory serves me right the dog has to separate the sheep and drive certain ones through a series of fences and finally into particular locations. The shepherd is not allowed to speak at all, but directs his dog with their whistles, blown at different pitches and sequences. Right turn, left turn, slower, faster, back off. Once in a while an inexperienced dog lost it. But more often the canines were able to follow the directions, and with speed and proper angles persuade the sheep where they ought to go. I read once about an interview of the winning herder in such a competition. He said, "My dog won because He is the best listener." Perhaps God could say that of the victorious Christian. "He won because he knew my voice, and listened well."
Tim Mitchell |