Knocking heads doesn’t prove any thing; it just leaves you with a headache. It does demonstrate that goats and people can both be bullheaded and stubborn. But, I do not believe that is how God intended us to be. “And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.” Psalm 78:8

I am a shepherd, a learning shepherd but a diligent one just the same. I have come to realize many things about life and my relationship with God, just by being a shepherd. Each day I care for, feed and protect a herd of goats - I am their shepherd. Jesus is my shepherd, and I find I understand more about him every day by living a shepherd’s life. Isaiah foretold about Jesus as a shepherd in this manner. “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young” Isaiah 40:11.

 I care for these goats everyday and yet the world of goat-dom never ceases to astound me. These goats live, sleep and eat together every day; they spend every waking hour together. But, sometimes on a whim they start butting heads. They stand up and smash each other repeatedly.

I wonder if God looks out upon his people and, like me watching the goats, shakes his head in disbelief at all the foolishness? As God’s children how many times do we butt heads, or wham our brother over needless things. Didn’t Jesus tell us to forgive? “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:21-22

Goats, like people are stubborn and often foolish. They wham, push, shove and fight for little reason. Most often it is just because they want what the other has, even if it’s the same thing that they already possess themselves.

They can also get along very well, I have even had does take other kids and raise them with their own. It was a kid and it needed raising - that’s all that mattered to them. They fed the kids and cared for them just as if it was their own. Again, it helps to opens my eyes; I see myself, my simple humanity in these goats. If an animal can love like that, what is wrong with God’s children?

Do our actions sadden God as I am made sad by the goats when a doe will refuse her own kid? The does that take the orphan or unwanted kids as if they were theirs, those are my favorites. They demonstrate so easily in the animal world what people often find the most difficult to achieve among humanity.

“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” PHILIPPIANS 2:4 I will try harder not to keep knocking my head, and also try harder to be one that shows compassion to others.