I heard an interesting interpretation of the Parable of the Lost Sheep – the one where the Good Shepherd leaves the 99 to go find the one. Jesus relates this parable while surrounded by publicans (tax collectors) and sinners. The Pharisees and Sadducees judge Him for not only hanging out with, but also eating with these people. In response, Jesus tells three parables about lost things that are found. The first is about sheep.
The interpretation I heard said that the 99 represented the Pharisees and Sadducees who felt like they were “in the fold.” They felt no need for a Savior. They felt as if they were righteous… more righteous … than others.
In the parable, the Good Shepherd goes in search of a lost sheep – the publican or the sinner – who knows that s/he isn’t perfect – who knows s/he has need of a Savior. The Lord can reach this person. He can heal and bless them. Christ can’t save people who don’t realize they’re lost!
When the Good Shepherd finds this sheep, He carries it upon His shoulders, rejoicing. The sheep has legs. It could follow the Good Shepherd. Most likely, it happily would follow Him, because it knows it’s lost. But the Good Shepherd is so excited, He lifts the sheep on His shoulders and carries it, rejoicing.
As I listened to this interpretation, my mind flashed back to a time when I went through a simultaneous unexpected divorce and my mother passing. I suddenly had no home of my own, and very little income. In many ways, I felt lost. I didn’t know if suffering would be my lot going forward or what would become of me or my teenage sons.
Through this difficult time, I learned to finally trust God … deep down on a soul level. I had this clarity moment one morning that everything was going to be okay. God had always had me. He had me in that moment, and He would have me in the future. I was staying at my friend’s house. She let me use her old van to get around. My boys were staying with their dad that summer. I was making a little money – enough to pay for my food and gas. I had no real home of my own and no idea what my future held, but I knew God had me and that He always would.
The day after I awoke with this soul-soaking epiphany, I met Dave Kuhns. We eventually married and all the dreams I’d had for the future – whether they were about the relationship I wanted to have, or what I wanted to do with my property, or what I hoped to create in the world began to unfold. In fact, everything came so fast that I felt like my life was completely out of my control.
I wasn’t walking on my own legs. I’ve often marveled how God made everything happen in an incredible way. At one point, I asked God, “Do I get a say in this?” The reply came, “Of course you do. This is what we mapped out together. It’s yours, here for the taking. But if you’ve changed your mind, and you don’t want it anymore, we can create something else together.”
I took a day or two to ponder and decide if this still was what I wanted. Then, I realized I’d be a fool to turn down all the dreams I’d asked God for, just because they were coming so fast that other people might think I was crazy. I’d made a lot of gutsy moves before, why chicken out on the one that God orchestrated on my behalf? Only a fool would do that!
As I listened to the parable of the lost sheep and the 99 today, I realized that in those days when some Power beyond myself had taken control of my life, the Lord had lifted me on His shoulders and had carried me, rejoicing back to my promised land and to the life He wanted to give me. He orchestrated it all! There was nothing I had to do but choose to allow Him to carry me!
I had never understood what was happening to me during that period until today!
In my earlier years, I wouldn’t have said I was lost. I would have said I was one of the 99 in the fold. But with everything I went through, all the dumb mistakes I made along the way, I KNEW I was lost. I KNEW I needed a Savior. And He was there for me! He ran after me, found me, cleaned me up, lifted me upon His shoulders and carried me to a better, happier life where I have learned to trust Him more and am learning to see His hand in all things.
I share more of my journey with the Prince of Peace and how He’s brought me to a greater level of joy, peace and love in my book, “Finding Peace in a Turbulent World: Living in Sacred Nature.”
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