The Shepherd's Search

Ruth was the smallest sheep in the flock, and she had a habit of wandering. It started with the dandelions on the far hill. "I just want to see if there are more," Ruth told herself. So she wandered a little further. The grass was sweeter on the other side of the fence. "I'll just take a bite," she thought. Then another bite. Then she looked up and the flock was far away. The shepherd counted his sheep every morning. One, two, three... and then he paused. "Ruth," he said. "She's wandered again." His dogs looked up at him, ready to run. "No," the shepherd said. "Not like that. She gets scared when we chase her. I'll go find her myself." Ruth was scared. The sun was going down. The big hill that looked so small from the flock looked very big now that she was alone on it. She called out but the wind took her voice and carried it the wrong way. Then she heard footsteps. Not running. Walking. Patient. The shepherd came over the hill slowly, no dogs, no loud voices. He sat down next to her. "There you are, Ruth." "I wanted to come back," Ruth said. "I couldn't find the way." "I know," the shepherd said. "That's why I came after you." He picked her up. She was light — she was the smallest sheep in the flock. And he carried her home. That night, Ruth lay close to the shepherd by the fire. The other sheep were asleep. And Ruth thought about what the shepherd had said. He didn't chase her. He came after her. And she wondered if maybe that's what God is like too. Not giving up when we wander. Coming after us. Carrying us home when we're too tired to find the way ourselves. Ruth fell asleep next to the shepherd, and she didn't wander again for a long, long time.