The Good Shepherd

Many of you are aware that we recently experienced another life-altering accident in our family - my son had to have his right leg amputated below the knee, due to malfunctioning equipment at his job. We are grateful to God that Brian is still with us, and grateful as well to our family and friends who kept us in prayer during this time of crisis.

I continue to be amazed at my son's attitude, because he has always been very sports minded, with skate/snowboarding, and surfing being among his favorites. Yet, one of the first statements he made to me after the accident (when he was finally able to talk), was - "You know mom, I've been thinking about a lot of things, and one of them was my walk with the Lord. It really wasn't what it should have been. This was a wake-up call for me, because I realize now that I'd rather limp into heaven with one leg, than march into hell with two!"

OK - so now that a proud mama has had a chance to "brag on" her son, let me share what that statement prompted me to think about this week.

Several years ago, I first heard a story by a renowned Christian author, Robert Boyd Munger, who wrote about an American traveling in Syria. This American became acquainted with a shepherd who was personally carrying and caring for a wounded sheep with a broken leg. When the shepherd was asked if the sheep had broken its leg by falling into a hole or meeting up with a predator, he replied: "No, I broke this sheep's leg myself - this was a wayward sheep. It would not stay with the flock, but instead would lead others astray. It would not allow me to come near it - so I had to break its leg so that it would allow me, day by day to care for it. Thus, it will get to know me personally as its shepherd, trust me as its guide, and keep with the flock." 1

My pastor at the time posed the question: "Could this be the reason we see so many pictures of Jesus carrying a sheep on His shoulders when he's portrayed as the Good Shepherd? Is He training a wayward sheep to become totally dependent on Him - or is He simply temporarily carrying one who had been wounded by some accident of life, as in the poem "Footprints"?

What do you think?

Either way, I'm certain that my son's accident was not a direct judgment from God as punishment for some "wayward behavior", but rather an intervention that prevented a worse outcome - as well as providing an opportunity for a "wake up call".

As for me, I continue to pray that my children do not provide me with any further "close calls" in order to reflect upon the truths of God's word!


Maria McKiernan

1 Robert Boyd Munger in Enclyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations by Paul Lee Tan