Shepherds – a common and lowly occupation in Jesus’ day. An average flock was about a hundred sheep, with a count taken nightly.
A good shepherd is determined not to lose a single one of his sheep for each one is equally as precious in his eyes. A shepherd will work diligently to recover a lost sheep, searching high and low, losing sleep.
Early in the morning, I read the story told by Jesus of a shepherd and his flock …
“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it on his shoulder. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, “Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.” (Luke 15: 3-6, NLT)
The Lulu Tree, a not-for-profit ministry, seeks to help vulnerable women and their children to find hope in Katwe, Uganda. We partner with them, hoping to equip them to make a life for themselves and their children.
The news came later that afternoon. Lillian is one of our new Lulu daughters, having recently entered the program. We recently found out she had a sister in a nearby village. And so we sent her out, by bus, and she returned with Esther, just 16 years old, who will also be joining us. The two sisters are filled with joy to be reunited and to have hope for the future.
In telling the story, Jesus longs for us to know His heart. Jesus takes the initiative to seek out the lost, the broken, the hopeless, those separated from their families, and He reunites and restores.
We must not let our hearts harden and lose compassion for the very ones Jesus loves. The broken and the marginalized should not be left abandoned to find their own way.
These girls were filled with joy to be reunited as sisters and to be given a safe place to live with new mattresses to sleep upon, side by side. And there is great joy for us at The Lulu Tree when one is rescued from their distress and brought into safety.
Even today, Jesus asks, “What will he do?”
He will get on a bus in Katwe.
The shepherd will go after the one.
You can read more about The Lulu Tree and the women and children we serve here. Won’t you prayerfully consider giving, either one time or monthly?
This is Day 11 of 31 Questions Jesus Asked. You can find the entire series here.
Today I am joining … Still Saturday and Give Me Grace and Sunday Stillness and Spiritual Sundays and Scripture & A Snapshot .
This is beautiful. What a reminder of the importance of extending grace to others without the temptation to get “comfortable”.
I am so glad you shared as you made me think on this once again. I cannot help but wonder if in staying comfortable we all become complacent. May He stir us up!
When I saw the pictures, I immediately thought of Uganda. Dave and I were there, off and on, from early ’91 to early ’04. God used us and we had so many in our hearts there. Would love to be again, but my age thing and my body thing has kept us here. I sure LOVE many of my Ugandan “kids, grandkids, sisters, brothers, uncles, aunts”. Many entered my heart from the the Ugandans and the missionary people from England, Canada, or parts of our nation. Now I’ll shut up, but you sure grabbed me!! Bless you.
Oh Joanne, don’t ever shut up! You have a story to share & you should! God has a way of placing us right where our hearts will be moved. I am sure you blessed many.