The Flock (Daily Wisdom 29/06/05)

A flock of sheep was grazing in the pasture where the Shepherd had led them. Some of the sheep began to discuss why the Shepherd took their wool. One group said that He took it simply to prove to them that He was in charge. Another group was of the opinion that He did so because He had no wool of his own; thus He had to wear theirs. Still another group held the opinion that He took their wool for other reasons. The debates went on and on, day after day.

Eventually the flock found themselves divided into smaller groups. The groups would eat in the same pasture, but in different areas. Often the self-appointed "leaders" in the groups would try to persuade members of other groups to join theirs. These leaders would often meet together in the middle of the pasture and butt heads trying to subdue each other. Each one wanted to have a bigger group within the flock. The more they thought they knew about why the Shepherd took their wool, the more they thought they were better qualifi ed to lead the flock than the Shepherd.

Soon these leaders began to criticize the Shepherd Himself. When the grass was long, they griped about how difficult it was to walk through. When it was shorter than they liked, they complained about how hard it was on their necks to stretch down to graze. When there was nothing at all to complain about, they complained that it should be that way all the time. No matter what the Shepherd did for them, they focused on what He didn't do. Whenever the Shepherd chased away a wolf, they complained that He shouldn't have led them near the wolf in the first place. They began to brag about how they would lead the flock if they were in charge instead of the Shepherd. It never occurred to them that they couldn't see as far as the Shepherd could see. They didn't think about the fact that none of them was able to wield the staff to drive away the wolf.

One little ewe, however, wasn't affected by all this debate and division. She wasn't the biggest sheep in the flock. In fact, she was one of the smallest. She certainly didn't produce the finest wool, and her offspring didn't add to the greatness of the flock. She walked with a limp from a broken leg from when she was chased over a precipice by a wolf. Her face was scarred from that attack, too. The Shepherd had found her stuck in the rocks, broken and bleeding. He had taken her in His arms and carried her back to the flock. He set her leg, cleaned her wounds and kept her warm at night while she healed.

She never left the Shepherd's side. She followed Him all day and slept by Him each night. To her, the best pastures were wherever He led her. She listened to His voice all day long. She didn't always understand what He was saying, but she just loved the sound. Her favorite times were when He would sit and let her climb into His arms. There she would put her head on his chest and just quietly listen to His heart beat. That was the most comforting sound to her in the world. That was the sound she had listened to during those long nights when He had held her while she healed. She didn't always understand His words, but she knew His heart.

One day the "leaders" of the various groups within the flock decided to ask her why the Shepherd took their wool, and what He did with it. She looked at them and said, "I have no idea why He takes it, or what He does with it. I just wish I had more to give Him. He's the Shepherd. He may do with me what He wishes." Then she said, "I have to go to Him now. He just found the remains of one of the sheep that wandered away, ignoring His voice, and was devoured by the wolf. He is weeping now, and I can't let Him mourn alone."

Before she left, one of the "leaders" asked sheepishly, "Why do you love the Shepherd so much?"

"Why, Silly," she replied, "Because He loved me first!"