FJWL_02:293
         Have you not learned this lesson, that love does not come easily, that being a shepherd is not without its sacrifices, and that it costs? It is sometimes painful, it is hard work, and you must be willing to give of yourself, to your own hurt. There is no easy way out of shepherding. There is no easy way out of loving others and caring for them, especially the young ones, the ones who stray, the ones who are more lively, more independent, who experiment on their own, who wander away from the flock, and require more time and more care.
         You must leave what you are doing if you find that they have strayed. When you count your sheep and you find that one is missing, whether it is day or night, whether you are busy or not, whether it is sunshine or storm, you must leave your comfortable place and go out. Seek to find the trail, listen for the bleats, climb the rocky path, and risk your life. Sacrifice your sleep, your comfort, your schedule, your agenda, to free your little one from the thorns. Even at personal cost, personal injury, though your hands may be cut and bleeding while freeing the sheep from the brambles, you must be willing to do all this if you are a true shepherd, and if you have a shepherd's heart.
         These lambs caught in the brambles are your children and teens. You must not look on the outward appearance of the difficulties involved in finding them and in helping them, or think, "That is what they deserve," or look on the abundance of your flock and think that one less would not matter. But I say, listen to the pitiful bleats and let these cries for help speak to your heart. Look on each lamb as I look on it, as the helpless little lamb caught in the brambles, and have pity as I have pity on it. For if I have mercy even on the older sheep who know better, who stray and get caught in the thorns, how much more these little ones and these young ones?
         So please, see them as I see them, with eyes of love and tenderness, with unconditional love and mercy, knowing that they are just little sheep who need care and help and understanding. They need shepherds to tenderly care for them, for many of them would not have strayed had there been a shepherd constantly on watch. Then they would not have slipped away and gone unnoticed. All of you adults are shepherds and you are responsible. You are responsible to care, to love, to listen, to give to those younger than yourself. You are responsible to encourage, to sympathize and to be concerned for those younger than yourself.
         So open your hearts and your eyes, and be sensitive to My Spirit, that you may see the need through My eyes when someone is carrying a heavy load or is troubled. Open your hearts and do not harden them, that I may place upon your hearts burdens and feelings for others, that you may feel what they are going through, that your heart may be drawn to them, to help them, to sympathize with them, and not to shut yourself off. Be open to Me, the great Shepherd, the tender Shepherd, the caring Shepherd, that I may be tender and caring and loving for these young ones through you.



Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family