“A good shepherd breaks the leg of a sheep that strays from the flock – this is to protect them and teach the sheep how much he loves them.” –Myth.
The first time I heard this myth was while I was getting my doctorate. The professor speaking had just written a book about shepherds. He and his family had lived in the Middle East outside of Jerusalem for five years learning the shepherding trade so that he could write about God as the Good Shepherd—an image of God seen throughout scripture. He said that he had heard this story about the breaking of legs many times before becoming a shepherd himself—and that it had been used to teach people that if they were going through a hard time, it was because God had broken their leg so they could learn to depend on God.
He went on to tell us that this was a myth and nothing more. Not only would a shepherd never harm a sheep, but there were many ways to keep a sheep near the flock without physically causing it pain—they might tie the sheep to other sheep or themselves—they might assign a dog to watch a particular sheep—they might even tie a weight to the sheep’s leg. But NEVER would a good shepherd break the leg of a sheep. In fact, a sheep found with a broken leg would likely be put down to keep the animal from suffering.
I am not so worried about how shepherds care for sheep. I am worried that people think God is out there breaking legs (making people sick, giving people hardships, hurting people in unspeakable ways) in order to bring them into God’s kingdom. What kind of loving God would that be? I don’t believe this for a second!
Sure, we suffer the natural consequences of other’s and our own actions, but not always—God, more often than not, shows us unspeakable grace even when we fail due to our own fault. But God is NEVER the cause of that suffering.
I am also concerned that people may take this myth even further to say that it is okay for us to break the legs of others in order to get them to behave in a particular way. Maybe this translates to treating a child, a spouse, or a friend, who has let us down, poorly in the name of love. No! That is not the way we demonstrate the love of Christ to others. Jesus never broke legs and neither should we. Jesus told us to serve others not hurt them. Showing grace and mercy always triumphs over hurting another.
Your pain, your hurt, your challenges are not caused by God’s love. God does not hurt you because God loves you. God’s mercy, kindness, and goodness is how God romances us and how God creates faithfulness within us. Jesus stepped in—even when we deserved punishment—and took that punishment on himself. Jesus made us free from sin and guilt. That is the kind of God we have. Believe me, God isn’t out there breaking legs.
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Disorderly Parables 
If your dog runs away is it an acceptable practice to break its leg? On multiple levels it makes no sense. Imagine carrying your dog on your shoulders while taking care of a bunch of other dogs who also are likely to stray. No Shepherd does this.
I am speaking as a farmer. No matter your theology, using a baseless, misleading urban legend to make a point is irresponsible and when found to be untrue may damage our ability to influence people with the Gospel. Thank you April for risking ridicule to write what any farmer would say, “amen”, to.
If you don’t believe this, stop by ten farms today and ask to see the pens for the animals with the broken legs (which were inflicted by the farmer).
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The biggest mistake we can make is to try and decide what God can or cannot do….If He decide to Love or to show mercy or to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah it will be by His Sovereign Might….or even brake a leg to bring people to repentance….He can do whatever He decide….not according to our academic credentials trying to define Him….He defines everything….That is why He is God….Amen
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I understand what you are saying however going to scripture there is no parable, or even indication that God as the Good shepherd broke a lambs leg nor is this a practice in real life shepherding. I do wonder if this idea comes from what is called a brake, which is a weight that is tied to the wayward lamb to slow itdown.
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Hello! Do you recall the name of your professor or the title of the book he wrote on shepherding? I am interested in reading more about how they take care of straying sheep.
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David speaks in Psalms 51:8 about the bones that God had broke! Was he speaking metaphorically?
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Iam very grateful for this as I just heard this referenced twice this week, once as a story from a Christian co worker and then just now as a sermon and both times found it very disturbing, have live through violence and being exposed to some sick thinking myself. The thought even brings up the idea of Srockholm Syndrome.This articles was helpful, thank you.
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Wow, this has really given me opportunity to think about our father’s words and teachings.
Thanks everyone for taking the time to share and explaining the Lord’s words.
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All interesting opinions and thoughts here, but I have never thought of a rod and staff as anything other than protection. This shepherd has undoubtedly used a rod to fend off animals that would attack his sheep and in context of a dark valley where anxiety and fear are overwhelming emotions, he looks to the great Shepherd. He is afraid but not alone because God is “with” him, and protecting him with a rod and staff. And comfort and closeness is the reward of looking to God with his anxiety. The greatest error here, in my opinion, is not a question of where God is in suffering with the but the use of this text to answer that question.
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Respectfully I disagree.
Suffering in a “valley season” is absolutely the way God sometimes uses to get us to submit humbly to him.
The metaphor about the shepherd breaking the sheeps leg is a great way to show us that.
While the shepherd does not like the sheeps pain, he knows that carrying that sheep through his brokenness the sheep will latch on and begin to trust him.
God knows it all, he knows momentary pain, while uncomfortable for a season, is sometimes best for us and a stubborn sheep.
God is a good God…and brokenness is a good thing. God allowed his one and only son to be murdered on the cross to save us. He allowed momentary pain to Jesus for the greater good, and to show his love.
So if he did not spare his only son, then why wouldn’t he allow us to have a broken leg sometimes to get us closer to him and leaning on him?
Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. If you can’t see that God disciplines those he loves then one should examine ourselves to ensure we are truly following God.
If someone misused the metaphor to abuse another, then clearly they are not truly following God because God never abuses nor does he condone it.
I think it’s great you want to reach a larger people with Gods grace and love, but please don’t forget that God also does correct and discipline. Look at how much the Israelites received time and again.
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this is such a beautiful and biblical reply!!!!! I’m still studying and getting closer to God and your reply is not only biblically sound but it aligns exactly with Gods nature. Gods love is also seen in long-suffering and discipline. It’s not punishment to a child of God as we accept rebuke and chastisement all for our character building and His glory to be seen.
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completely agree!!! Very well spoken!
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Yeah, I guess Job was imagining his suffering. To say that God will not use evil for good is wrong. Read the OT and look how God used many nations to inflict His people because they adulterer themselves. “What kind of loving God would that be? I don’t believe this for a second.” is a quote from above. We don’t base truth or the nature of God based on whether we can agree with it or understand it. Is. 55 says that his ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than ours. Now the nature of God is love, He is the complete embodiment of it and can never be “unloving”. So even when He allows bad things to happen (chastening) it is for a loving reason. If breaking my leg or getting cancer or having to say goodbye to a loved one is part of His divine purpose in drawing me into a deeper relationship with Him is His method, I might not understand or agree with it, but it is done out of love because He can’t go against His nature. That is the struggle so many times with the Psalmist when he is conflicted because his circumstances didn’t seem to line up with his view of a loving God, but that’s why he prays for enlightenment in his frustration and often the Psalm will end in praise. (Psalm 13)
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Get out the OT and live in the NT,,,nowhere does JESUS have a Parable of Breaking Legs of sheep,, the Prodigal Son Suffered from Satan’s World,,, Not JESUS breaking his legs!! Please REPENT of talking Evil 😈 of my Father and loving ❤ 🙏 Jesus and the Precious Holy 🙏 ❤ Spirit,,, sad 😥 😢
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God certainly disciplines even at times when we don’t.even go astray he allowed Jobs boils or peters shifting..he has purpose in it all…yes break a leg`and a back if need be..Old testment Backsliding king Asa God.struck his feet with illness ..new testment I will cast her on the.bed.of.sickness…to.many passive christians and there.is evedeince for this sheep procedure ..David author before I was affiliated I went astray’
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You also be careful, Jesus came to fulfill the law and not to dismiss it. God’s word is truth whether old or new.
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Gpd did not orchestrate Job’ s suffering. He allowed Satan to do it . That is way different than inflicting it Himself. I serve a complex and wonderful God. His judgement on the nations was way different than if He had inflicted His servant Job.
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I found a newer source to suggest that, at least in Bedouin cultures, shepherds actually do break a leg on purpose at times. Food for thought in the mix. http://Corduan.com/broken_bones.htm
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That link is gone/not available/non-existant.
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Parents will punish his children if their behavior its wrong.there is a law for those who don’t follow and there’s consequences . …everyone know
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Would a good parent punish a child in a way that would disable them and even kill them?
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Yes, God allowed his own son Jesus to die so we could be saved. Abraham offered Issac. The lions den, Job, Noah and the whale. Suffering is part of being a Christian. Those who give their lives will be saved.
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Don’t take her word , compair it with SCRIPTURE
Hebrews 13/ James 4 /Rev3
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