It's been a bit of a crazy week! Super cold some days, and super nice others! Like right now it's a balmy 32 degrees Fahrenheit (I didn't just misspell that word like eight times) outside and the sky is finally blue again! :) I love how I seem to always report the weather during the winter.... "By the way guys, it's cold here!" I guess writing you all just reminds me that it's not this cold down in Arizona!
A fun culture that Elder Colunga and I have that I'm not sure if I've shared with ya'll is ice megging. For those of you who know soccer, "megging" someone means kicking the ball through their legs. It's somewhat humiliating in soccer and makes you feel a bit foolish. Well, Elder Colunga has taken a liking to kicking chunks of ice through my legs as I walk next to him. He does it consistently, pretty much anywhere we walk. I've grown used to watching chunks of ice skid across the sidewalk past me all the time. And I know when he's succeeded because I'll hear from behind me, "Yes!!" All the time. This is my life. Jealous?
A thought that crossed my mind this week was the importance of the one. Something that I love about the Savior is His emphasis on the one. In Luke 15:3-7, Christ addresses some gossiping Pharisees on the subject of repentance.
"And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance."
I had this question come to my mind as I thought of this parable: do I do my best to serve individuals? How well do I follow the Savior's example in finding the one?
I've been thinking about this concept for a while. I've heard some great talks and had some great conversations on the subject. Here are some of my thoughts.
Why did the sheep wander? How long did it take to find it? How far away had it wandered? Did the sheep do anything to merit the shepherd's rescue?
We have no idea why the sheep wandered off; it could have been curiosity, stubborn rebellion, or the cruelty of the other sheep. It could have been any number of reasons, but we're not told because I don't think it mattered at all to the shepherd.
Neither are we told how long it took for the shepherd to find his lost sheep, nor how far he had to go. Once again, I don't think it mattered.
For the shepherd, every one of his sheep was worth rescue. Distance, effort, time, or reasons for wandering were not factors. The thing is, the lost sheep didn't do anything to merit rescue. But the shepherd rescued it anyway. Why? Because he loves his sheep.
I love this parable. It reminds me of how much the good Shepherd loves each one of us. It reminds me of the fact that we are never to far from Him for His succoring hand to save us. It reminds me that it is never too much effort for Him. It reminds me that no matter my reasons for falling away - sin, pain, discouragement - He will always come to my rescue.
Here's my point, though; do we do the same?
To be a Christian is not a club. It's not a nametag and it's not a catchphrase. Taking the name of Christ on us means doing what He would do and being who He would be - to every ONE.
My invitation this week is to ask the Lord who the one is that you need to help Him rescue this week. Disregard the distance, disregard the effort, disregard the time it might take, and perhaps most difficult, disregard their reasons for wandering, because the Lord never asks us to do something we are incapable of accomplishing. Find, and love, your one!
En avant!
Elder Bryan McOmber
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