The Parable of the Lamb

I'm sorry I've been so quiet lately. I've been writing quite a lot, but our ISP has disappeared into the ether, leaving us with no internet connection (and no website or email) for days. We now have a temporary dial up connection, and hope to have DSL within two weeks. Then you'll be able to see all the adorable pictures of Ellie again!

This is another story about my buddy L, the conservative from my Bible study group. Actually, I can't get comfortable with the whole first initial thing, so let's just call her Lexus.

Tuesday we discussed Luke, Chapter 15. The first parable in the chapter is the one about the shepherd who leaves his flock of 99 sheep to search for the 1 that was missing.

"Is it reckless of the shepherd to risk the entire flock to search for one lost sheep? What does this mean to you?" the informal group leader asked us.

"How long are we supposed to search?" asked a mom in the group. "It's heart-breaking to think about losing a child, but if she's missing and never found, how long are we supposed to focus our energy on looking for the lost child rather than caring for the children we have left at home?" Good question.

"The introduction explains that this is a parable about sinners," I said. "It's a lot easier to bear when I think of it as an explanation of how important each of us is (to God) – even if we're sinners - rather than a parent looking for a lost child."

We went around in a circle talking about how we read the parable and what we thought it meant.

"I think it's a constant process," said one tired mom. "You gather up one lost sheep and bring him back into the fold, and then you go in search of the 3 others that slipped off while you were away."

"My version says that the shepherd left the flock "in an open space," said another woman. "That phrase is the key for me – the flock was not in any danger there."

A few more women shared their thoughts. Lexus was last. "It is about economics," she said. "That lost sheep is valuable, and it might reproduce. He's got to protect his investment. Besides, he's surely not working alone. The other shepherds - or at least his dogs - can watch the flock while he searches for the lost sheep.

Well, OK then. I've had it wrong all this time. Jesus was a capitalist.