Now Jesus refers to himself as the good shepherd and he defines what that means for us. The shepherd is good because he lays down his life for his sheep, which was a real situation that shepherds would find themselves in. Being a shepherd in the days of Jesus was not like the paintings show. Paintings often show a shepherd sitting on a rock serenely holding a fluffy, pure white sheep surrounded by the rest of the flock. In reality, a shepherd had a dangerous job that required hard work and strength. The threats out in the wilderness were real between wild animals and thieves the shepherd had his work cut out for him. Jesus contrasts who he is as a shepherd with a hired hand. A hired hand at the first sign of threat runs and preserves his own life. Why? He has no ownership. The sheep for him are a means to make a living. They are not worth any sacrifice of a hired hand’s own body. His care and concern do not go that far. Whereas Jesus, the sheep are his. They are valuable and loved enough to be worth any sacrifice. This is not just a metaphoric situation for Jesus. He knows that his mission in this world is to lay down his life for his sheep. Jesus will not run away as Calvary looms in the distance, but he will run towards it all for the sake of his flock.