Why a Shepherd, Not a King?

The First Step👣

If God wanted to impress us, He could have come as a warrior. Armor shining. Authority unquestioned. Power on display.

If He wanted to rule us, He could have arrived as a king demanding loyalty and obedience.

But He didn’t.

Instead, Jesus chose a word that feels almost too gentle.“I am the good shepherd.”

Not a title of dominance.A posture of care.A role defined by closeness, not control.

That choice alone tells us something essential about who God is and how He relates to us.

The Pebble in My Path🚶🏽‍➡️

Most of us know what it feels like to be led poorly. Leaders who take more than they give.Voices that promise protection but deliver pressure. Systems that were meant to guide us but end up consuming us.

This is not new.

Long before Jesus walked the earth, God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel about leaders who were supposed to shepherd His people and failed miserably. In Ezekiel 34, God condemns the kings of Israel, calling them terrible shepherds.

Instead of feeding the flock, they fed themselves. Instead of strengthening the weak, they exploited them. Instead of protecting the sheep from wild beasts, they became those beasts.

They used their position for comfort, power, and gain. And the people suffered.

When I read that passage, it feels uncomfortably familiar. Because the greatest danger is not always the wolf outside the flock, sometimes it is the shepherd who forgets why he is there.

The Compass🧭

This is the backdrop behind Jesus’ words in John 10. When He said, “I am the good shepherd,” He was not offering a comforting metaphor. He was making a bold statement in a world that had been deeply wounded by bad leadership.

Jesus knew the Scriptures. He knew Ezekiel 34. He knew the pain caused by shepherds who fed themselves instead of the flock, who protected their power instead of their people, who became the very danger they were meant to guard against.

So when Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd, He was redefining leadership from the ground up.

A good shepherd does not rule from a distance. He stays close. He notices when one sheep is missing. He understands the terrain. He walks ahead, not above.

Jesus makes it clear that goodness is not measured by authority, but by sacrifice.“The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

This is not poetic exaggeration. It is the blueprint of His life.

Jesus does not lead by fear or pressure. He does not add laws that crush the spirit. He does not use God’s name to elevate Himself.

Instead, He offers His presence. He leads through trust. He protects through love.

Like the shepherd in Psalm 23, Jesus guides us to places of rest. Not because life is easy, but because rest is necessary. He restores the soul, not by force, but by patience.

And perhaps this is the most surprising part. Jesus does not rush the sheep. He does not shame them for being slow, afraid, or wounded. He adjusts His pace to their strength.

This tells us something essential about God. He is not interested in managing your behavior. He wants to care for your heart.

In a world shaped by leaders who take, exploit, and consume, Jesus stands apart. He is the Shepherd who gives instead of takes. Who serves instead of dominates. Who lays Himself down so others can live free.

That is the compass. Not power.Not performance.But a love willing to stay, guide, and give itself fully.

The Open Trail🛣️

So here is the invitation this week. Consider Jesus not as a distant authority, but as the shepherd of your soul.

The One who knows your fears before you name them.The One who notices when you are tired, discouraged, or wandering.The One who protects, not by domination, but by devotion.

Jesus does not want to make your life heavier. He wants to lead you into freedom and grace.

And in a world filled with voices that consume, control, and confuse, a shepherd who gives His life instead of taking yours is not weak leadership.

It is the strongest kind there is.

Take a moment to thank Him. For choosing care over control.For choosing presence over power.For choosing to walk with us instead of ruling over us.

Stay barefoot. Stay honest. Stay close to the ground.

– Barefoot Gospel👣