The Sheep Whisper

A few years ago, in my preschool class at church, I had a wanderer.  

At three years old, she came into my class labeled because she had already wandered away on a Wednesday night when she was a toddler.  The church custodian found her by the dumpster on the far side of the parking lot.  

She had wandered a long way from the safety of the nursery.  The dumpster where she was found was only a few yards from a creek that runs along the back of the parking lot.  

I still shiver to think of it.  That incident put the fear of God in all the workers that Wednesday evening.  

So, when the little wanderer graduated into my class, I watched her well and for three years we were without incident.  

Then it happened.  

She wandered.  

There was an outside youth water activity that caused a crowd to gather in the hallway outside my classroom.  That hallway had a door that led outside where the youth were having their water event.  

With only a few minutes left before pick-up, I allowed my preschoolers to gathered at the window of the classroom to watch the fun. 

The little wanderer saw a family member outside and took it upon herself to join him, but she didn’t tell me.  When her mother came to pick her up a few minutes later, imagine my surprise when she was nowhere to be found. 

Her mother quickly located her and brought her back to me to apologize for leaving the classroom without permission.  

As her mother directed her towards me, I could see her brown eyes pooled with tears.  Her sweet little heart was broken that she had caused me worry.  She knew she had done wrong to leave, but the enticement to be a part of something outside the safety of the classroom pulled her away.  

I bent down and opened my arms to her.  She ran to me and we hugged.  I whispered in her ear my concern for her safety and reminded her of the classroom rules.  

She hugged me a bit tighter.  

I held her in my arms.

She promised not to leave the classroom again without permission, and I kissed her cheek.  

I know this story isn’t a perfect match to Ezekiel 34:15-16 (TLB), but there are some similarities to our wandering ways and The Sheep Whisper who called us all by name. 

"I myself will be the Shepherd of my sheep 

and cause them to lie down in peace,” 

the Lord God says. 

“I will seek my lost ones, those who strayed away 

and bring them safely home again. 

I will put splints and bandages upon their broken limbs 

and heal the sick... 

This verse is a sweet reminder to me that I was once a wander with a bad reputation.  Then I responded to the kind voice of The Sheep Whisper.  He found me, embraced me, brought me into safety and forgave my wandering ways.  

This is what He did for me and this is what he will do for whosoever will.

v He gathers His sheep.  

v His sheep know His voice.  

v His sheep obey His voice.  

v When His sheep stray, He brings them back into the safety of His fold.  

v His compassion is without measure.  

v When sheep are wounded He cares for them.  

v The sheep that follow Him will be well fed and blessed.

Jesus is The Sheep Whisper.