Keller speaks about how a shepherd marks his sheep by cutting a notch in their ears (pg 21-22). He compares this to the Jewish practice of driving an awl through the ear of a servant who chooses to stay with his master rather than be released (Deut 15:12-17). This idea of having a tangible sign of ownership is interesting which makes we wonder what is the 'mark' of being a Christian.
Christians come in lots of shapes and sizes but Keller is saying that if we all belong to the same Shepherd then there should be some form of identifiable mark that we all have that shows that we belong to Him. So what is it? Some wear a cross but Keller suggests that our mark involves 'carrying our cross'. I can see the link. If we want to be a disciple, says Jesus, then we need to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him (Mark 8:34). But this appears to be more about what we do for the Shepherd rather than what the Shepherd does to us to mark us as being His. In a similar way Jesus said that the evidence that someone is His disciple is seen in that they hold to His teaching (John 8:31) and bear much fruit (John 15:8). All of these are defining characteristics of a Christ follower but I still don't quite think they match the analogy of the Shepherd clipping the ear of his sheep so that people can see that they belong to Him. Perhaps closer is what Jesus said in John 13:34-35:
A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
There is a sense here that Christ's flock receives the love of the Shepherd and then (snip) it becomes the agent of that love to others. We love because Christ first loved us, our loving of one another is a clear mark to the observer that we belong to Christ because we are loving like He was. They will know that we are His disciples because of our love. I dont think that means that non-Christians can't be loving...of course they can, and are...what it does mean is that Christians, by nature, must be. So if Christians are not bearing this mark of love then their witness is somewhat...woolly.
I am drawn to the parallel between the snippping of the sheep's ear as a sign of ownership and the words of Jesus' words when He speaks of His sheep in John 10. He speaks about them having sensitive and well-tuned ears: They recognise His voice, listen to it and follow him (John 10:4,27). I have never wanted my ears pierced (and have never quite understood why people get theirs done and then cover their ears with their hair!) but in this context I think I need to make sure both are done!
Also Ephesians 1:13-14 also comes to mind, as it says that the Holy Spirit is a mark for the Christian,
When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.
We are snipped by the Spirit and just as the cutting of the sheep's ear means that something of the sheep is removed in the process so we are called to let the Spirit take the lead instead of us (Romans 8:14) - less of me, more of Him.
So love, listen and "let go" - these are some of the marks that I need to check are in place as I go walking today with my Shepherd.
Man was originally made in the image of God. Sin has spoiled that image. However, Paul tells the Corinthians, 'Just as we have born the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven'. (1 Cor. 15:49) In his next letter he tells them that, as we reflect the Lord's glory, we are being transformed into His likeness. (2 Cor. 3:18) God help me, each day to grow more like Jesus.
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