When our younger daughter, Merry, was in her senior year of college, she chose to study abroad for a few weeks as a part of the school's May term program. She and some of her friends chose to go to the Holy Land. Like many travelers, she brought home some souvenirs. She brought Jim and I an 8 - 9" inch olive wood figure of a shepherd carrying a lamb over his shoulders.

Many of us have seen the pictures of Jesus carrying one lamb as He walks among the rest of His flock. The figurine is a replica.

I heard a speaker last week tell about shepherds carrying their sheep. He said sometimes a shepherds who has a sheep that repeatedly strays will break one of the sheep's legs, once the sheep is found. He then carries the sheep across his shoulders. Once the leg is healed, the shepherd puts the sheep down. Not only does the lamb no longer wander, it stays closer to the shepherd than most of the others, because the two have developed such a bond.

Sounded kind of cruel to me. But I thought as parents, we sometimes do the same things...maybe not to that extent. We can scold a child for wandering away from us in a store when they become lost. Even if we are a bit hesitant about spanking, we might give children a swat or 2 if we find them walking on a busy street where they were told not to play. A child's tears aren't as important to us as his/her safety. We don't want them to be in danger.

The speaker went on to tell that sheep left to themselves without the care of the shepherd will certainly die because of lack of food or attack of a predator. A broken leg which can heal is a great alternative. He told that while Jesus isn't in the business of breaking legs, many times life hobbles us. As the Good Shepherd, He picks us up and carries us until our legs heal. When He puts us back down, we remain closer to Him because we have developed a caring relationship. We no longer want to be far away from the pack or stray by ourselves. We know where and from whom our protection comes.

A number of year ago as I watched members of our church congregation file to the front for communion, I can recall thinking about them individually. Many of them had been handed heartbreaking life stories yet here they were among the most faithful.......broken legs and all.........carried by the Shepherd