For the urban dweller, the notion of a good shepherd might easily be a quaint and/or romantic image that engenders a vague sense of comfort. After all, a good shepherd has to be better than a bad one, right?!
When Jesus describes himself as the Good Shepherd, he is not saying simply that he is excellent at his job. He is saying that being a shepherd for him is not merely a job. It is who he is. It is the way he conducts himself toward others because it is the expression of his deepest desires.
The measure of Jesus’ care is no less than his willingness to give himself completely for us. The depth of Jesus’ love and commitment is so rare we barely know how to value it.
How do we learn to trust a quality of love that we encounter virtually no where else?