Last Sunday was typical for our family. As we sat in church, I kept nudging and tapping and whispering little reminders to the children…

“No, that toy is not allowed.”

“Stop talking.”

“No, you may not sit on the floor.”

“Quiet, it’s prayer time!”

At one point, a friend sitting behind me leaned forward and said with a smile, “You remind me of a Border Collie, keeping all your children in line.”

What a great analogy! She was right. I was constantly nudging, not relaxing my guard for a minute; watching and nodding and tapping and pointing.

If I carry the analogy further, it’s even more interesting. God is our Good Shepherd, and He has given me these lambs as my assignment. If I am an attentive Collie, I’ll nudge and urge my little ones to follow the directions of the Shepherd. But that’s where I need to be careful. I’m a bit of a bossy one, and I tend to add a few of my own orders to the mix. Sometimes my Boss has to get me back into line and insist that I only bark the orders He’s handing out.

I hope I’ll do my job well. I need to stay alert, stay on the job, listen carefully, and never let down my guard. I need energy that defies the odds. I need to be in more than one place at a time.

It reminds me of some verses in 2 Timothy 4 that say…

But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, …I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

I’ll do my best to be a good Border Collie for as long as my Shepherd needs me, and for as many lambs as He assigns. And, believe it or not, I’m flattered to be compared to such a competent servant.