Entourage is a word that I think everyone is familiar with.  It is usually associated with famous people and movie stars.  An entourage is a group of people who travel with and work for an important or famous person. It comes from the French word entourer, meaning “to surround,” and "the people who surround someone.  You know that group of people — friends, assistants, bodyguards — that are always surrounding you everywhere you go? That's your entourage!

Some celebrities have gone under financially, from supporting an overwhelming group of friends and family, their personal entourage.  It is said, in a many of songs, when the money runs out the entourage runs out too.  I suppose some have faithful friends and family who do not necessarily hang out with you for your money or what you can do for them.

There is an entourage that is much better suited for the Christian. That entourage has four parts, Goodness, and Mercy.  Psalm 23:6, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life”; also God’s rod and staff, Psalm 23:4, Your rod, and staff they comfort me.” What an entourage!  Always surrounding you and me.  Let’s go deeper.

First, goodness and mercy are a great team to have following us.  Goodness is the quality or state of being good.  In Matthew 19:17, Jesus said, there is none good but one, that is, God... Another definition of goodness is gracious generosity in providing for us, beneficial.  Goodness is how God shows his love for His sheep; and we are the sheep of His pasture, Psalm 100:3

Mercy enhances His goodness with unconditional love.  Even when we are faithless He remains faithful, 2 Timothy 2:13.  For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations, Psalm 100:5 NIV.  Mercy denotes forgiveness, kindness; mercy is God not giving us what we deserve when we fail.  Mercy comes from a Latin word which means “price paid”. So the price has been paid for us when we fall, when we fail, when we disobey and when we do our own thing.  Jesus paid the price, so we can have goodness and mercy as our entourage.

Goodness and mercy are a powerful entourage, but another dynamic duo is the rod and staff of the Good Shepherd.  The rod of the shepherd is a protective instrument, to defend you from the enemy out to devour you.  The staff, on the other hand, is an instrument of rest. The shepherd leans on the staff for support and strength, when he needs rest.  Likewise, we should lean on the Lord for support and rest.  The staff is also used to rescue the sheep from the evil one.  The staff also guides us in every area of life, if we do not resist. 

That leads to the idea that the rod is representative of the Word of God; “The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.  The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore” Psalm 121:7-8.  God and His word are one in the same. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”, John 1:1.  The staff represents the work of the Holy Spirit. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26.

The theme of Psalm 23 is that God always protects and provides.  I have all that I need because the shepherd loves and cares for me. Read Psalm 23 to see all the benefits of having your own personal entourage.

On a final note: During my study time, I read that the word follow means to pursue, constantly driving us to the Good Shepherd, John 10:11.

Rosita Dozier