The parable of the shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep and goes after the one is really intriguing. In one way, it does not make any sense. Wasn't he risking losing the others when he went in search of the lost one? Was that one more important than the others?
In reflecting more, I had to admit that my reaction to the parable has guided me more than once in the way I relate to people. And I do not think I am alone. How many times have I just let a friend drift away, because I was busy with others? When someone needs more of my time, how often have I rationalized that "I won't have enough time to do these other important things"?
Perhaps the real message is one of trust. The shepherd trusted that, when he was looking for the one lost sheep (1%), the other sheep (99%) would still be there when he returned. The one was no more important than the others, but neither was it less important than they. I guess my meditation today is leading me to reconsider how I treat people in my life. I need to be more mindful of my relationships, and work on them more. I cannot just expect that "they will call me if they value our relationship". I have to be the first to love, the first to reach out, especially if I realize that we have drifted apart. It will take time and effort, but if I am concerned for each and every person in my life, I will be more likely to discover why God brought us together. And really, He brought us together so that, as we gather in His name, Jesus will be present with us. That is perhaps the best 1% solution I can ever imagine!
1 comment:
Thank you for sharing. I feel challenged by the same. We are called to create relationships that reflect our primary relationship, the one with God. But it's so easy to put everything on the back burner.
I am going to start again by re-prioritizing my relationships. thank you for helping me today.
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