Christ’s Lambs

It is those who are young in Christian experience whom the Savior calls lambs. The shepherds that are to feed them are His ministers. A lamb is one of the most meek, tender, and tractable of all the young animals, and very fittingly represents one who has received the meek and tender spirit of Christ. Christianity in its nature is meek and mild. It converts the wolf into a lamb and the leopard into a kid. Young Christians are, therefore, beautifully spoken of as lambs, whose nature is mild and gentle. Christ’s lambs are those who have received into their hearts His lamb-like spirit. They are those whose hearts and souls have been touched and thrilled with the mildness and tenderness of divine life; those in whom the “hidden man of the heart”* (1 Peter 3:4) is robed in righteousness and adorned with “a meek and quiet spirit,”* (1 Peter 3:4) which is precious before God.

You might robe a wolf with a lamb’s skin, but it would still be a wolf. A person may profess to be a Christian: but unless he has a change of heart and affection; unless he has been made meek and gentle by the Spirit of the Lord coming into his heart, he is only a wolf, after all, and not of the Savior’s fold. Jesus speaks of some who put on “sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”* (Matthew 7:15) By “wolves” He means men and women with wicked hearts. They profess to be Christians; but in their hearts are envy, pride, hatred, jealousy, love of self, and love of the world. They may appear quite lamb-like in public life, but in their hearts no change has been wrought by the transforming power of God’s grace. To be “Jesus’ little lamb” is not only to have a profession of Christianity, but to have the heart cleansed by the blood of Jesus from envy, pride, malice, love of the world, etc., and filled with meekness, gentleness, and love.

A good old prophet in olden time, looking forward to when Jesus should come to save people from their sins and speak peace to troubled hearts, said, “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom.”* (Isaiah 40:11) When you were wandering in the deserts and mountains of sin, Jesus, the true shepherd, came seeking for you, and now that you have given yourself to His loving care, always confide in Him and yield to His guidance. Ever keep your hand in His and follow where He leads, and your life will be full of joy and end at last where there will be pleasures forevermore.