Appreciating The Good Shepherd

What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?  Luke 15:4

In our verse for today we can easily see a great difference in appreciation for the shepherd between the 99 sheep that were left and the 1 sheep that was lost. The larger group might even go so far as to call the shepherd a traitor for leaving them behind. While the one will of course feel a great love and appreciation for the shepherd. Even more appreciation might be felt from a sheep that was lost in a tough place versus one only lost a little bit. We follow our Lord Jesus in applying this metaphor to ourselves. When Jesus found you, just how lost were you? Those lost greatly will tend to feel the greater appreciation. However, do not give up on the 99, while the Spirit helps them to deal with temptation, they too will feel a great appreciation when the Good Shepherd returns bearing that one lost sheep. And all 100 will rejoice with the Savior when we are led into His home and pasture. 

Let us rejoice in the Good Shepherd!

Bucky