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The Parable of the Lost Lamb
(Based
on Luke 15:1-7)
There was a shepherd who had 100
sheep. He was a good shepherd as he loved his flock, knew each one by name and
got great satisfaction in taking care of their needs. Each day as he led his
flock out to pasture he would talk to them and whistle a merry tune.
There was one little lamb that
captured the shepherd’s heart in a special way. He was different from the rest
of the flock. He had brown spots on his wool and was an adventuresome little
fellow, full of spunk. One moment he would snuggle against the shepherd’s leg
and the next he’d be scampering off by himself to the far-reaches of the
flock. The shepherd would scold and fuss at the little lamb for venturing from
his fretting mother and warn him of the unseen dangers that lurked in the
shadows, but the lure of adventure seemed too strong to resist. Often he would
have to send his constant companion, the herd dog, off to bring the lamb back to
the flock
But the little lamb did not seem
to heed the shepherd’s warnings or notice the danger. Blissfully he frolicked
in the meadow and kicked his heels in the breeze. Each day he would venture
further and further and sometimes strayed out of the protective eye of the
shepherd. Often he’d limp back with his wool full of briars, a scratch on his
nose and a bruise on his leg. Tenderly the shepherd nurtured and bandaged each
wound while lovingly pleading with the little lamb to be more careful and stay
with the flock.
Each night as the shepherd
guided his flock home he would sing beloved hymns of praise to the One True
Shepherd to whose care he belonged. And each night as the sheep went into the
protection of the fold, he stood at the door counting each one…95-96-97-98-99.
But this night, one was missing. The shepherd noticed the restless,
bleating mother and instinctively knew who was missing.
Kneeling beside the bleating mother’s head the shepherd whispered, “I
will go and find your boy.”
With a heavy heart the shepherd gathered his staff, search light, blanket,
knife, and bottle of oil. Summoning
his companion dog with a quick whistle, he locked the door to secure the fold
and started off into the dark, foreboding night knowing that a helpless lamb is
no match for stalking creatures of prey. The
shepherd knew it was going to be a long night for they had traveled many miles
that day looking for green pasture and fresh water. He racked his brain to no
avail trying to remember when he last saw the little lamb.
The dog knew the routine and immediately set off on a run as he sniffed the
ground. For many miles the shepherd and his dog searched and called for the
little lamb. In the distance they heard the cry of a howling wolf and overhead a
screech owl searched for his evening meal. Often they paused in silence,
listening for any sound of a lamb in distress or victorious creatures fighting
over their prized catch. At night the terrain seemed more rocky, rough and
dangerous. The shepherd had a keen sense for the ways of the wild and his search
led him away from the lush meadow grass into the valleys and ravines.
Suddenly the scream of a bobcat in a nearby tree pierced the stillness of the
night and froze them in their tracks. Chills
ran up and down the shepherd’s spine and the hair on his arms stood on end as
the dog yelped and pointed his nose to the wind. The sudden rustle of leaves and
snapping of twigs alerted the shepherd that a cat had just fled into the
emptiness of the dark night. Suddenly
the dog and shepherd heard the weak, pitiful bleat of a lamb in distress. The
shepherd followed the dog’s leading and soon found the lamb tangled in a vine
at the bottom of a steep cliff. Carefully
the shepherd worked his way down the slippery cliff, holding on to small bushes
until he reached the trembling, cold lamb. The shepherd talked softly as he
reached into the thicket and freed the lamb from his bondage. Tenderly he
wrapped him in a blanket sling and secured him to his shoulder for the long trek
back home. The exhausted shepherd’s heart was light as he walked home.
He had found his lost lamb.
By Pat Hertzler
December
10, 2008
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®
Hertzler
Farm
and Feed Inc.