'Baaaaaa" - Sheep or Goats Part 2

Yesterday I posed the question: “Are you a sheep or a goat, in terms of your relationship with Jesus?” We compared characteristics of sheep to similar characteristics in humans. Most of us would likely profess to be sheep in the Kingdom of God. Today we will examine some characteristics of goats…maybe, just maybe, some of us may find we are actually more goat than sheep.

Even though they rarely are given credit for being smart and loving creatures, goats ARE very intelligent, curious and loving.

Most of the folks in my concentric circle are smart, loving, and many are very curious ~ especially about the ways and mind of God.

Goats do not pretend to be any other animal; they are goats, and everything they do is “goat like”.

Some Christians personify the purest definition of Christ followers; many others seem to wear the mask of a believer when needed, yet otherwise wear the mask most pertinent and convenient to the circumstances surrounding them.

Young goats, also called “kids”, are raised on a bottle. Kids (kid goats, that is) learn from their mothers, other adults in the herd, and from older kids. If, however, they are bottle fed, they will not learn to eat grain or hay; nor will they learn to drink water as easily. If they have no older goats to learn from and if they are allowed a bottle whenever they are hungry, they will not want to try new foods. So they must be gradually weaned from the bottle and offered other food. Goats love to chew and climb…they hide and get lost…and they are known to head butt and head push.

“Baby Christians” are bottle fed the Word in the beginning, always with the goal of maturing in their walk, graduating to the “meat” of the Word, going deeper, always learning. We need to immerse ourselves in a local church, to fellowship with other believers, to learn and to grow in faith together. We also must discipline ourselves to study of the Word and pray in personal times of respite. If we are only spoon-fed on Sunday morning by the preacher or during a Bible study class, we will never learn to feed ourselves. We are to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps. 34:8) and that means in a corporate body of worship AND in the alone and quiet times reserved for He and me.

Like goats, we humans ~ yes, even Christians ~ in our carnal states can head butt!

Adult female goats and neutered male goats tend to fight for dominance, by tongue flapping, leg pawing, back arching and squatting.

Sound like any Christians you know? As believers, we are IN the world, but we are not to OF the world, as those who do not claim Christ as Savior and Lord. Even in some churches today the hierarchy of leadership may feel stifled in their ability to lead and/or in competition with other spiritual leaders, which, in turn, might manifest itself in tongue flapping, pawing or back arching! What satisfaction Satan receives through those times, and how dishonoring it is to the Lord!

Baby goats can easily get lost, as they like to hide in small places and lay very still and quiet. Its mothers may be grazing and not even realize one of her kids is lost. Nor is she always quick to go and find that lost one, even if she does miss him/her.

Unlike the mother goat, Jesus always knows where we are, even if we think we are hiding from Him. Ps. 139 tells us that He knows even our thoughts before we think them and our words before we speak them. We are never out of His sight OR His care. He DOES miss us when we wander away, and He will continually try to draw us back to His side. What about the church? Does it notice when someone is lost, or has strayed? Does the church pursue that person and nurture him/her back to the Lord? Or is the church either complacent because it is comfortable OR is it seeking big numbers of attendees to make itself look “mega” or “good”?

Goats love games, and jumping and climbing are some of their favorites. Baby goats climb on their own family, and if they are allowed to climb on another goat, that goat is considered “family”. However, only Mother goats allow their babies to jump on them. No other adult goat in a herd will allow a baby to climb on him/her.

Do you allow other Christians to “climb on your back” and become a part of your family? For believers, climbing on someone (perhaps “walking alongside” would be a better description than climbing) allows both parties to learn from one another, to grow together, to bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2) and to hold each other up through good and bad times.

Now, I ask you to reassess your life, and revisit the question: Are you a sheep or a goat, in terms of your relationship with Jesus? Be honest! Only you and God know the answer. Yet, each of us is known by the fruit we produce (or don’t produce) ~ Gal. 5:22 ~ what fruit do others see you producing?

Disclaimer: I realize I have posed some hard questions and made some dogmatic statements. Please know that these are my opinions, based on personal observation, and not meant to condemn, criticize, or least of all judge! Judgment belongs to the Lord. However, I am responsible to be about His business while there is still time, and my heart breaks when I observe so many with “religion” but no “relationship”; with head knowledge but no personal intimacy with their Creator; and worst of all those who have deliberately denounced Him. Allow the Lord to break your heart for what breaks His!

Choose to be blessed this beautiful fall day....and enjoy the precious video below!

"DEER FOR BREaKFAST"



Last, but certainly not least, I must brag a bit: