Jesus Declares the Parable of the Lost Sheep

My New Testament class studied this parable this week. We discussed how in the parable of the lost sheep, the sheep gets lost because it’s not paying attention to what’s going on, where it’s going, or where the rest of the flock is going. The sheep gets so involved with eating (appeasing its appetite) that it forgets to follow the shepherd. The sheep isn’t willfully running off from the flock – sheep are just *really* dumb. Still, the shepherd goes out and finds the sheep.

What struck me about this video was the shepherd's reaction to finding the sheep - he isn't irritated with the sheep for wandering off. He doesn't berate the sheep for being an idiot. He is just joyed to have found it, and doesn't just bid it follow him, but scoops it up and carries it. It's a literal illustration of "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."

The Lord is infinitely patient with those who wander, including me, and I should strive to be so too. I should rejoice when lost sheep are found, rather than feeling irritated that they were ever lost in the first place. It's like my old accounting professor would say - past costs are sunk costs.