As dawn began to break, I heard our collie, Laddie, whining softly at the front door. Probably elk doing some early morning foraging out on the front lawn, I thought. It wasn't unusual at our mountain home to see the occasional bear or mountain lion, coyote, or deer. But when I went to the door, I realized he was seeing through the glass a sight he'd never before encountered.

About a dozen sheep had wandered into our area and found their way onto our front lawn. I let Laddie out just to see what he would do. He knew how to respect wildlife. What would he think about this completely different animal? There was no hesitation. He began herding this little flock back out to the road. Then he returned for one lamb that had gotten stuck behind the fence, gently nudging it along until the sheep were all together and on their way again.

Some folks would call Laddie's actions natural instinct. In a way, that's true. But I believe there's something higher involved here. His tendency to shepherd those sheep was a symbol of a talent we all have. A hint of spiritual intuition. Maybe it could be described as an inner sense of leading, guiding, protecting, nurturing. It finds expression in many ways. Such qualities wouldn't be unusual for sheepherders as well as for the dogs they often use.

Parts of southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon contain one of the largest Basque communities in the world—outside of Spain. The Basques have contributed much to the area, including their ability to work with sheep. It isn't surprising as you drive along country roads to see a small, covered sheepherder's wagon that takes you back to an earlier era. This is a portable home for those who live with the sheep and safely lead them to water, food, and shelter.

One can imagine what it meant to be in isolated areas, all alone, providing for the sheep. There was lots of quiet time to think and ponder. Those infinite night skies with countless stars could provide occasion for lots of inspiration—maybe an insight for each star!

My uncle herded sheep. I suspect his time alone tending these gentle animals gave him very special moments to think about God, and the deeper significance of what it means to be a shepherd, to care for others. At least his life certainly developed along these lines. He became a Christian Science practitioner, and through his writings—both prose and poetry—he shepherded many others. I estimate he wrote about 10,000 poems in all. Obviously some of them came from inspiration under the starlit skies.

People all over were touched by those shepherding qualities when he served in church positions that reached around the world. His spiritual insights had a way of guiding and leading others in constantly fresh spiritual directions. So many people who love God and love their fellow men and women have no doubt pondered Isaiah's thoughts about God: "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young" (Isa. 40:11). Christ Jesus used the analogy of shepherd and sheep not only because people in those days could easily relate to what was very close to many of their lives but because he saw the natural tendency to care as something inherent in everyone. Truly his own life illustrated so well the shepherd within. Although he described himself as a shepherd and the people as sheep, he also acknowledged the source of those shepherding characteristics: "The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works" (John 14:10).

This inner sense of caring and protecting, guiding and sheltering, was a divine force that his life naturally manifested. Jesus might as easily have said, "The Shepherd that dwelleth in me ...." He understood that God, divine Love, was at the center of consciousness and that he expressed this divine tendency of cherishing and directing. Jesus encouraged all of us to recognize this as true about our own lives. Do what he did, he kept saying. Follow his example. When he saw that the people were like sheep in need of a shepherd, what did he do? He taught them (see Mark 6.) And afterward, he fed that hungry crowd. He illustrated how practical these teachings were. He shepherded those thousands of people with evidence of a fact that Mary Baker Eddy would centuries later state this way: "Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 494).

Jesus' teachings were the key to long-term blessings for those who listened. And sometimes those teachings were puzzling. For example, at one point he explained that he was going to leave them. He had other work to do.

Where was he going? What other work? These would have been natural questions for "sheep," who were mainly concerned about caring for immediate needs.

Nevertheless, Jesus taught them: "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. ... And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd" (John 10:11, 16). Who were these "other sheep"? Have you wondered what he was saying to you? It's time well spent to ponder his words.

There's a God-given desire within every individual that wants to be sure others are cared for, just as Laddie wanted to care for the sheep. Some may express those shepherding qualities as parents with children. Someone else could find them represented in taking a pack of Cub Scouts on a hike. Still another might do the same in conducting an orchestra, or teaching a classroom of grade schoolers.

True, sometimes people personalize those shepherding qualities, and then they become distorted—bossy or controlling. We need to preserve the true source of shepherding as genuinely divine. Mrs. Eddy attached special adjectives in her writings to the concept of shepherding. She used words such as wonderful, great, kind, good, faithful, loving, watchful, prophet. One of her poems, which is printed on page 6, illustrates significant elements she felt in spiritual shepherding: guiding, sheltering, leading, nurturing, and finally, cleansing.

So where do these godly qualities lead? They move us toward protection instead of danger. But there is much more happening if the shepherd within is truly finding expression. When we can truly let this divine nature shine through our lives, when we reflect an authentic spiritual shepherding, we'll be a great blessing to others. We'll help others toward spirituality instead of materiality. We'll be guiding thought toward a resurrection kind of experience, an uplifted and inspired direction in life. Even more, by example, we'll help waken others to see that spiritual reality is the only reality.

That's what Jesus' shepherding role did. It enabled us all to see how we can help others through a divine and forgiving love. It showed how anyone can move beyond even the most crucifying challenges in life. It illustrated for each of us the path that opens our eyes to God's allness and ever-presence.

Jesus' resurrection speaks directly to your life. As the writer of Hebrews put it: "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever" (13:20, 21). In fact, this passage from First Peter hints further at what Jesus' ascension means to each of us: "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away" (5:4).

Whether or not you've recognized it, you have a natural desire and ability to shepherd others into following the example of the Christ. Your willingness to acknowledge, "The Shepherd that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works," will open both the opportunity and the ability to forward the lives of others. And don't forget: The willingness to be spiritually shepherded yourself leads right into heaven.

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