Are you a Sheep or a Mule?

The Lord says,“I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.
Do not be like a senseless horse or mule
that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”
–Psalm 32:8-10

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.”
–John 10:14-15

Have you ever thought about the stark contrast between these two animals (sheep and mules)? They are both mentioned in the Bible, and each one symbolizes a certain type of attitude towards God.

“Stubborn as a mule” is a frequently used expression. While mules are useful animals, they have a reputation for being stubborn and strong-willed. Getting one to cooperate may require serious coercion. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people that relate to God this way. They only follow His commandments after they’ve suffered the consequences of disobedience.

Sheep have the opposite nature. They naturally follow the shepherd—they need only hear his voice to follow. They tend to follow only their shepherd, ignoring the voice of others. A sheep may not always follow perfectly (they do get lost or go astray), but their essential nature is to follow.

I’ve played both roles in my life (I think we all have). I’ve been a stubborn mule towards God and experienced the complete absence of peace and joy that comes with such an attitude. When I followed His instructions I found perfect peace—even when I didn’t completely understand why the Lord was asking me to do something. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather spend the rest of my life being one of His sheep. I would rather live a life of submission rather than stubborn self-will.

Are you living like a sheep or a mule? Think about it.

Manny Pacquiao and the Three Stooges


I had a great day today. I watched the Pacquiao vs Barrera match with Erwin, Joel, and their families (Erwin and Joel are my co-leaders in the ministry—we call ourselves the “three stooges”).

One small problem I have living here is the fact that I’m not much of a basketball fan. There’s an old joke that they should just give each basketball team 80 points and let them play for two minutes—this is kind of the way I look at hoops. Filipinos are basketball enthusiasts, and they follow their own teams (college and pro) as well as the NBA. This is something that I cannot relate to in terms of sports.

I’ve been a boxing fan for a while, so this is something I can definitely enjoy with my Pinoy friends. I became a “Pac Man” fan a few years ago when I watched his first match with Morales. I was impressed with his heart, even though he lost the match. I enjoyed watching him redeem himself through two impressive wins. I remember seeing a replay of his first match against Barrera. Manny’s conditioning and skills were clearly superior. After seeing that, I wasn’t at all surprised that Manny won today.

I also enjoy the way the whole country just gets behind Manny. He takes his role as a national hero quite seriously. I look forward to seeing his next match.