1 Peter 2:25

For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Jesus is the good shepherd for He loves and cares for the sheep to such an extent that He suffered and died for the sheep. He actually fulfilled His great love by His suffering and death on the cross so that we who believe in Him will not perish due to judgement and wages of sins. For Jesus has paid it in full for us. He also gives us the Holy Spirit to transform our life from darkness to light and experience a new and abundant life (John 10:10). An abundant life that Jesus gives is not characterized by the world values such as fames and materialistic prosperity as clearly stated by Jesus (Luke 12:15). Rather, an abundant life in the Lord is characterized by satisfaction and peace as described by Psalm 23:1-2. The good shepherd leads the sheep to enjoy a satisfying meal and rest beside quiet waters.

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10:11

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Luke 12:15

Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

Psalm 23:1-2

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

The good shepherd know His sheep and the sheep knows Him and follows His leading (John 10:14). This is a close relationship. Although Jesus is no longer on the earth believers know Jesus through the revelation of the words of God the Bible and the Holy Spirit that dwells in every true believer's life. One evidence that we really know the good shepherd is we are obedient to Jesus' teachings as recorded in the Bible (John 10:16). Incidentally, Jesus also revealed in this verse that there are sheep other than Israel. Gentiles who believe in Jesus can also receive the wonderful blessings God promised to Abraham who is the father of all nations (Genesis 18:18). We now know that these wonderful blessings are the sacrifical love of Christ who redeemed believers of all the world by His sufferings and death (John 3:16). We also receive the Holy Spirit who transforms our lives and we may have an abiding relationship with God forever (John 7:38-39).

John 10:14

"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—

John 10:16

I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

Genesis 18:18

18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 7:38-39

38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

The world is full of strifes, hardships, insecurities, distorted values and temptations because it is a world full of sins. We are bombarded with wrongdoings of each other individually or collectively as a group. Therefore, the common unhealthy words describing the feelings of people are: depressed, bittered, unsatisfied, selfish, agressive, prideful, lewd, envious, deceitful, unfaithful, unforgiving, biased, polarized, guilty. But, Psalm 23:3 tells us that the good Shepherd restores our souls. Soul is concerned our deep inner being and psychological feelings. When we follow the good Shepherd Jesus, He will restore our souls. As Galatians 5:22-23, the Holy Spirit will bring forth fruits in our life and replace those unhealthy attributes of our life with fruits pleasing to God: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfullness, gentleness and self-control.

Psalm 23:3

he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Galatians 5:22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.