Our first home in the Pacific Northwest was nestled on a five-acre parcel located next to the beautiful Spokane River. Much of our acreage was flat and was previously used as a horse pasture. To help reduce our property assessment, Louise and I decided to try our hands at farming. We purchased eight Barbados Black Belly sheep and soon discovered that while the are prized for their heavy coats and tremendous horns, they are also exceptionally wary. Our desire was to eventually sell them to an exotic game farm where some hunter would harvest the animal for its meat and trophy horns.
I planted seeds and irrigated the land so there was an ample food supply. We installed deep troughs that held enormous amounts of water. We fed the animals vitamins, antibiotics, and enough enzymes to make even a rock grow. You would think, in view of all the energy expended on their behalf, that they would have been grateful, but it was not so. Every time I approached the fence line, they took off running to the other side of the pasture. The only emotion they ever showed me was fear. I fed them twice a day, yet each time they saw me, they responded as if I was from outer space. I never could convince them of my true concern.
To those sheep, I was their deity. I was too big for them, my actions were too incomprehensible, and my boundaries were too restricting. My acts of kindness were seen as cruelty. My attempts at doctoring their wounds were viewed as destructive. The shelters I installed were seen as barriers to their paddock. To change their perceptions, I would have had to become a sheep. I would have needed to be incarnated as a “studly” ram. We learned a lot about incarnation from the upkeep of those critters.
Incarnation refers to a new or different form of something—like the latest incarnation of a classic movie. It can also refer to the human representation of an intangible concept—like being the incarnation of courage. In Christianity, it is the belief that God became human by taking the form of Jesus. It literally means “to take on flesh.” It is the belief that Jesus was born both fully God and fully human.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1,14). For a man to become a sheep is nothing when compared to the Omnipotent God becoming a baby. In some mystical way, the God of all creation humbled himself to become a man so that He could better relate to His creation. He so loved mankind that despite His power, His presence, His sufficiency, and His divine transcendence, God took on the form a lowly human being. And still man received Him much like those sheep received me.
Scripture Reading: Philippians 2:6-8
Personal Application: Christ came to earth to proclaim God’s desire to have intimate fellowship with His creation. It took Christ’s death on the cross to provide the sacrifice necessary for us to enjoy direct access to God. Do you see Him as a caring Shepherd—your perfect Provider, Protector, and Savior? How do you receive Him?
Jim Grassi, D. Min.
We cherish any verse in Scripture that reminds us to keep focused and intentional about evangelism and discipleship. “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5