(a 4 minute read) Are you familiar with the story about the shepherd leaving the 99 sheep to pursue the one that is lost or has strayed or has wandered away? Of course this story is a wonderful example of the shepherd’s love for the ‘lost’, but when you think of yourself in this story, are you the Shepherd or are you the Sheep or are you the ‘lost’? But wait, why ask this question in the first place?

Well it matters because I inadvertently do think of myself as one of these, and it is too important to have it be a matter of chance who I think I am in this story. For this shapes my own mind and thus impacts my actions towards others, both of which are crucial and form shaping. Therefore I hope you agree that it does matter. So, do you think of yourself as the Shepherd or as the Sheep or as the ‘lost’ or maybe the passer by in the field??

Well, for sure I ain’t the ‘lost’. And since I want to think of myself as being involved, then I am not the passer by. And who wants to think of themselves as the Sheep!? Therefore I am the Shepherd, or at least I’ll try to be the Shepherd as I want to help people and lead them to the path. Who wouldn’t, right?

I hope that you agree that most will think similarly and arrive to the same conclusion.

But wait a minute if most think this way, then the world is formed mostly of Shepherds and of ‘lost’ people………. Hmmmmm……. We both know this is not the case…… then something is wrong with this picture. Do you agree??

We may want to believe that there are many ‘lost’ out there, but to believe that if you ain’t ‘lost’ then you are a Shepherd!!……………. I know that you know that it ain’t so  🙂

Again, of course we agree that the story/the parable is meant to demonstrate the LOVE of the Shepherd, but I hope that you agree with me that indeed ‘WE’ have applied it to ourselves to come to believe that I, you, we act or at least should act as the shepherd to the ‘lost’ in this story. Believe you and me, we do act like the shepherd AT ALL TIMES towards those around us.

How do you think this makes the ‘lost’ feel? When we constantly act this way?  For we do.

One thing for sure; we come across as arrogant and as holier than thou and as I am better than you……..

Have you heard the world describe us as such…………… Do you ever wonder why………….

How I identify myself in this parable does shape my own mind and thus impacts my actions towards others, which is form shaping and all those outside the circle can see it while I am possibly blind to it…….. !?

This realization may sting but it has to in order for me to think of myself as one of the 99. You may say, “But I am one of the 99.”

Then look at the picture of the flock of sheep. Is this how we the sheep, Christians, are getting along together in harmony? Are we so close to each other that we ALL feel as one? We ALL move in this one direction. Then we ALL graze in accord and congruence?

If I, you, we are honest, then we can clearly see that we do indeed each think of oneself as the Shepherd……..  Don’t you agree we need to do something about it??

Prayer; my God and my Lord, I come to You thankful that you are the Shepherd. I thank you for Your forgiveness of me acting like the Shepherd all the time. Somehow I think that if I mimic You as the Shepherd more will come to know You. Somehow it has not been obvious to me that this has NOT worked for ages. May I learn to be more like a sheep, for this is how those around me would recognize the humility You want me to portray, for LOVE exudes from humility. It is not easy Lord to be a sheep, oh not at all. Especially that I have been acting like the shepherd for so long. But there is nothing that You cannot accomplish in me. May I discipline my mind to be the sheep, and hope that my actions will follow suit. I know You are right here to help and guide me my Creator. I love You and I thank You. Amen.