In Australia live a pastor who is also a sheperd.
As a sheperd he owns a lot of sheeps. As he feeding the sheeps and
taking them to the pasture, he found out that one of his sheep is
very naughty compared to the others.
This one naughty sheep always separate itself from the other
sheeps. For example, when the others grazing the grass, this
naughty sheep will slip away and wander to other places. Or when
the sheperd is taking
the sheeps to the pasture, this one naughty sheep will run to the
opposite direction, far away from its group.
When the sheperd see the sheep begin to wander, he will runafter
that naughty sheep and put it in its place along with the others.
And even though the naughty sheep repeat its act again and again,
the sheperd always catch up, pick it up in his arms and
put it back to its flocks.
This australian sheperd is patient with his naughty sheep. But
after the sheep repeat its act again and again, the sheperd is
getting so tired and confused.
He decided to pray to God.
He said "God, You are the good sheperd. In the Psalms, King David
picture you as a Sheperd who took his sheeps to green
pasture.
David was also a sheperd in his youth. And from his picture of You
as a Good Sheperd, I believe that he also faced problem like this
as he took care of his sheeps. God, You are the omniscience God..If
You are in my position..what would You do with this naughty
sheep?"
"Break its leg" answered God.
What? Break its leg? How can You do such a thing God?
But again God answered "break its leg".
Aware that God knows all things, the australian sheperd decided to
follow God order.
So, the next day, when the naughty sheep begin to wandered. the
sheperd quickly lifted the sheep up to his arms. As he do this, he
prayed " God..I don't have the heart to do this..but because You
told me to
break its leg..I guess I will have to break its leg."
The naughty sheep whimpered in pain when the sheperd broke its leg.
The sheperd couldn't bear to hear it..those whimpers made him feel
so sad.
But he really loved the naughty sheep and he obeyed the words of
God.
After he broke the sheeps's leg..he wrapped the leg with medicine.
Now everday he had to pick the sheep in his arms because that
naughty sheep cannot walk anymore.
And now the sheep had to grazed the grass near the sheperd, because
if he grazed near its friends..they will walk on him.
And when the sheep thirsty, it would lick the sweat of the sheperd.
The sheep would rested its head in the sheperd's shoulder when they
walked together in the pasture.
The naughty sheep behaved so well. it constantly depended its life
in his sheperd's arms.
When the leg healed..the sheperd opened the wrap on the sheep's
leg, and send it away to play with its friends in the
pasture.
But, the sheep didnot run to the other sheeps. Instead it stayed
close to the sheperd. The sheperd lifted the sheep once again..and
once again the sheep licked his sweat! The same thing happened each
time the sheperd tried to put the sheep back with the others.
The sheperd was so confused. But then, God said to him " My people
also cannot understand the same thing...If I let them suffer in
great burdens or wounds..that is because I want them to come closer
to me. I do it to make them understand how precious
they are to My Heart. How I want them to depend on me, stay close
in deep relation with Me.
But most of the time..when the bad things happen..they wander away
from Me.
The australian sheperd finally understand why God told him to break
his sheep's leg. God wanted to tell His people that they are
precious in His sight..He also wanted to teach them about His
longing for deep
relationship with His people.
Many people cannot understand this truth..that is why God wants
him, the australian sheperd, to share the truth to his
congregationin his church.
Friends..sometime we do not realize that little things we faced in
our lives is God's way to mould and sahpe our character.
Jeremiah 29:11 RSV "For I know the plans I have for you, says the
Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and
a hope."