This morning on the radio I listened to a conversation about what it’s like for a new Head Coach to transition into a program. The consensus was, that no matter how highly competent and well-respected the new Coach is, there is a transition period required for his/her new athletes to really begin tuning in. A couple high profile examples were given of great Coaches who had a difficult time in their first couple years in a new home, until they could begin working with “their players” whom they had recruited. The athletes apparently had a hard time adjusting to the voice of their new leader.
It brought to mind a passage in John chapter 10 that I’ve read over and over lately. You may be aware that Jesus is known as the “Good Shepherd”, a title he used for himself. He creates a powerful analogy of himself as the shepherd and his followers as his sheep, those who are completely dependent upon him for nourishment, protection from danger, and everything else they need. It’s certainly a humbling analogy for those of us who follow him, but it is an incredibly comforting one as well.
A couple verses in particular that have been drummed into my head read like this:
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28).
Although my natural inclination is often to listen to my old coaches (myself and the selfish values of the world around me), I do much better to learn to tune in the message of my new Coach, the Lord Jesus, the Good Shepherd.
80’s Lyric
– ‘Til Tuesday (1985)