“The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." - Psalm 23:1-4
Growing up I would hear about the Lord being my Shepherd. It would be comforting to me until I got to the part about the rod and the staff. They sounded like objects that would be more about inflicting pain than comforting someone. I mean, after all, what is a rod and staff used for? So I studied it to find out more. One sheepherder said that he uses a big stick that he finds in the forest like a rod. He uses it to block the sheep from going the wrong way. The sheep usually go in the opposite direction of the rod. Like maybe the sheep want to stay there grazing into the night and don't want to turn towards home. The shepherd could get them going with the rod and lead them home. Then they could go to bed and be so happy they are not still grazing with night prowlers looking on. Another shepherd said that his rod does not have a hook on the end but if it did he could use it to pick up a sheep that has fallen where he should not be or save one that has left the fold. He says it would take a very strong person to lift a sheep up this way and that shepherds in the Bible must have been very strong or either sheep are unusually huge now. I laugh picturing this. But it is nice to know that Jesus is our strong Shepherd and that He uses things in our lives to keep us on track and from wandering away. He does these things not to make us miserable, but to keep us safe and get us to go where He knows we need to be. So now, when I read Psalm 23 I will picture the rod and staff being there just in case I need help or guidance down the path I am on.