The Keeper of the Sheep

 1 Samuel 17:20 (KJV)

“And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.”

This character in this verse is very much overlooked: the keeper of the sheep. He was never in the spotlight and never did anything huge, but he was the faithful keeper of the sheep.

Today, I would like to share some truths about this keeper of the sheep.

1. The Keeper was given a responsibility.

David instructed this keeper to take care of the sheep. This keeper had a responsibility to take care of.

In the same way, we are given a responsibility as Christians. God has a distinct plan that each of us needs to fulfill. Our responsibility is not always big and flashy, but it is still needed. Without the keeper, David could not have brought lunch to his brothers and then fought Goliath in a miraculous way. He could not have done it without a keeper.

My challenge today would be to find the responsibility God has given you and fulfill it, whether it is big or small.

When President John F. Kennedy visited NASA in 1961, he noticed a janitor carrying a broom. The President walked over, introduced himself, and asked, “What are you doing?”

The janitor replied, “I’m helping put a man on the moon.”

That janitor understood something many people miss: even small jobs are part of a bigger mission. He wasn’t just sweeping floors—he was playing his part in something historic.

In the same way, the keeper of the sheep in David’s story didn’t fight Goliath. He didn’t stand before Saul. But without him, David would not have been free to obey his father and step into God’s plan.

You may feel like the janitor—or the keeper—but you are part of something bigger. Be faithful. It matters.

2. The Keeper was ready for the responsibility.

We notice from the verse that it was early in the morning. This keeper had to be ready at any time to take over caring for the sheep. The keeper was ready at any time for the job.

Using this idea, we can ask ourselves if we are ready for whatever God has for us. As a preacher, I can be ready by studying the Bible, preparing messages, and reading books on preaching. Are you ready for whatever God has for you? What about the church? When there is a need or a ministry to fill, are you ready?

A firefighter doesn’t wait until the fire alarm rings to start getting ready. His gear is already laid out. His boots are positioned just right, his coat is open and ready to grab, and his helmet is within reach. Why? Because when the call comes, he can’t afford to waste time. He has to be ready in an instant.

3. The Keeper was trusted with the responsibility.

As we know from other stories, David loved and cared for those sheep. He was not going to leave the job up to just any keeper. This had to be a keeper David trusted.

Can God trust us to fulfill His plan for our lives? Or are we too busy wasting our time on the cares of this world? Let’s be Christians that God can trust to fulfill His plan.

A young man had worked at a car dealership for just a few weeks when the manager came over and tossed him the keys to a brand-new car.

“Take it to the detail shop across town,” he said.

The young man was shocked. “You trust me with this?”

The manager replied, “You’ve shown up early, worked hard, and taken care of the little things. I trust you with more.”

Sometimes God will not give us the big things in life because we need to be faithful and obedient in the little things. Or maybe it is because we are not ready.

Today, let’s strive to be like the keeper in the way we live our lives!