Generally, we don’t like being compared to sheep. So, while the image of God as a shepherd, even a good one, might be nostalgically comforting, it doesn’t quite resonate with our everyday lives. But focusing on a God who loves us so deeply, who takes care of us so lavishly, who protects us, guides us, and never abandons us is an image worth lifting up and preserving. He knows us; even calls us by name! That changes everything (so it should at least change us, too).