Growing up on a farm, you get to know sheep pretty well. They’re sweet animals, but they all have three common characteristics—dumb, dirty, and defenseless. We had a deep ditch in one of our pastures that we had to keep the sheep away from because they would graze right up to the edge and fall in.Once in, they couldn’t get out. Also, wool isn’t white and fluffy when it’s sheered—it’s oily and dirty. Until the wool has been cleaned, it’s filthy. Then if a sheep wanders away and gets attacked by another animal, it’s going to die. They have no way to protect themselves. Without a shepherd to guide them, they’re doomed.Throughout Scripture we are compared to sheep. One comparison says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray…” (Isaiah 53:6 NIV). We see others falling into the pit of sin, and like sheep we blindly follow. On our own, our attempt at being righteousness is as filthy rags (see Isaiah 64:6); and without Christ’s redemption, we too are filthy just as wool is dirty until it’s cleaned.Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy (see John 10:10), and without Christ, we are defenseless against his attacks. Thank goodness we have the Good Shepherd caring for us. He will always lead us, protect us, and defend us. He even knows each of His sheep by name.