We Christians have a penchant for making the simplicity
of our faith downright complex. We desire to
have spelled out in detail what we are to do, when, toward
whom, how often, and when we can stop. For Jesus, rules
simply illustrate how to live a faith not governed by rules.
My favorite story concerns a tiny gray lamb. The other
sheep ostracize her for being different and, in feeling
unwanted, she comes to believe that she is not worthy of
being wanted. If she is dumb and unlovable, then it hardly
matters what she does. Whether thoughtful or mischievous,
she will never belong. This heaviness descends over her
until there comes a day when she doesn’t care anymore—so
she wanders off. The farther away she drifts, the more certain
she is that if the other sheep do notice, it will be with
a snicker of “good riddance.” Night comes, and the darkness
is darker than she recalls it ever being before. She hears
strange noises. She is cold, hungry, and frightened.
But sometime during that shivering night, the lamb
dares to believe that she hears within the harsh wind a hint
of a familiar voice, even the sound of her name. It is the
shepherd who has left the ninety-nine because of her.
The frightened lost lamb fears she is within seconds of a
sound thrashing or worse. But there are neither angry words
nor a blow from the shepherd’s staff. Instead, he lifts her
gently, wraps her in his own cloak, and after a long embrace
puts her securely on his shoulders, saying, “I’ve missed
you!” The shepherd himself understands what it means to
be scorned and abused. And so home they go, enjoying the
love and warmth of each other.
From "Becoming Who God Wants You to Be"
By W. Paul Jones from the Upper Room: 60 Days of Prayer for General Conference 2016