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."