“But There is One Still Out There” by Justin March
“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.”Matthew 18:12-13
My grandparents used to have this llama that lived amongst their livestock. They had heard that llamas were great protectors, so they decided to bring one into the family and see how well the geese, chickens, roosters, and sheep would co-exist with this new creature. They lived on a large piece of property in Windsor, Colorado, and as they aged and became unable to take care of the land themselves, they were looking for a little help to keep all the flocks contained within the boundaries of their acreage.
I will never forget the first time they introduced me to this llama. It was a nasty creature, and I couldn’t believe they would allow this beast to live amongst the rest of the livestock. It was dirty, mean, and smelled worse than an outhouse that hadn’t been emptied in months. If you got too close to it, the llama would spit its’ grotesque, slimy film at you, and if you were unfortunate enough to get hit by this filth, it almost felt like he was laughing as you gagged at the unbearable smell.
But, despite all the faults I found in this new family member, my grandparents would tell me stories about how amazing this llama truly was. They told me he was carrying out the duties they had hoped he would, and in fact, he had become a true leader amongst the livestock. When they let the flocks out to graze in the pastures and enjoy the freedom outside the pen, he would watch over them and make sure they were not harmed. And when it was time for them all to come back home, my grandparents told me this llama would wrangle them up and make sure they found their way back to the safety of the structures that protected them.
I remember one story, in particular, that really changed my perspective about this llama. Dusk was settling in, and the flocks were still out in the fields. My grandparents had told me that the night had snuck up on them and there needed to be a sense of urgency around getting the animals back to their pens. So, the llama corralled his family with a sense of understanding that the sun was setting fast. He got them all back to safety, but as the gate was being latched for the night, I was told this llama started to go crazy. He was stomping his feet, kicking up dust, and doing everything he could to escape from the fence. My grandparents did not know what to do, but after several minutes of disorientation, this llama was causing distress with the other animals so they decided to let him out.
They said they were worried about the llama leaving the pen as he headed into the darkness. They knew they had to let him go before he destroyed the humble protection that was built for the rest of the flocks. And they knew he was so unsettled, so distraught, and so destructive that he had to be set free. But, what happened next, was an amazing testimony to the dedication this llama was showing for his new family. After what seemed like hours, to my grandparents, here came the llama with a sheep that had been left behind. I guess that llama knew exactly how many members were part of his flock, and he would stop at nothing to make sure that sheep didn’t spend the night alone. That llama knew it was dangerous in the dark, and his mission became clear when he understood one of his family members needed to find their way back home.
Are we making sure nobody gets left behind? Are we making people feel welcome as they enter the doors of our churches? Are we engaging in conversations, lending a helping hand, and allowing God’s light to shine through us in every encounter? I pray you become the llama as you continue your journey. I pray you to understand what it takes to make everyone feel special and included in God’s family. And I pray that no matter how many people you have helped find their way to Christ, you will stop at nothing when you realize one is missing.
It has been written that God rejoices when a sinner returns to Him. When Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep, He is trying to show us the Kingdom of God is accessible to all, even those who were sinners or strayed from God’s path. So, if Jesus can forgive and love the lost, shouldn’t we do the same and do everything we can to bring His people back to The Cross? It is time to be the llama! It is time to make sure no one is left behind! And it is time to make sure everyone we encounter witnesses the gracious gifts God is bestowing upon our lives! For in the end, when we have walked our last day on this earth, I pray we can stand in front of God and proudly proclaim we went crazy, stomped our feet, and did not allow ourselves to be contained until we did all we could to bring every lost sheep back to the flock!
