The Unvigilant Pastor

Reading ... Litlle story

In a certain region lived a little shepherd boy who spent his time looking after his sheep.
By morning, he would take them to the field where the sheep had abundant vegetation to eat and chilled water to drink. In the afternoon, they returned happily to the corral. The shepherd came back every day feeling tired but satisfied.
One day, however, he began to feel tired of this task. He wanted to do something different and better. He wasn’t looking after the sheep the way as he used to. When one of them walked away from the others, he wouldn’t hurry to bring it back. He let them free and to themselves, while he sat in the shade of a tree dreaming of a life change.
One day a hungry wolf approached the site. As the sheep were alone, the animal attacked the helpless sheep. The shepherd was sleeping at that time and didn’t see what was going on. He actually forgot to accomplish the task of looking after the animals.
The sheep began to make a lot of noise. The shepherd boy woke up and realized the danger near by. He played his horn, a horn that was used to ask for help when needed, or just to communicate remotely with another pastor. His father soon came running together with some farm employees. The wolf then ran away hastily.
But one of the little lambs had been struck and vanished in blood on the floor, all injured.
His father carried it very carefully home. He nursed its wounds with all affection. The shepherd regretted his behaviour and cried, seeing his sheep suffering because of him.
His father called him and said, with a severe tone of voice:
— You don’t deserve my trust. I gave you the task of taking care of my sheep. You were careless and unvigilant. If you weren’t distracted, you would have perceived the danger in time to avoid it. You would have asked for help promptly. A helpless little animal now suffers because of your lack of attention. This sheep might even lose its life. I entrusted you with the tasks of looking after these animals.
The shepherd answered with his head down:
- I know you're right, my father. I agree I made a mistake. But please give me another chance! I promise to be more careful and vigilant in my obligations. I will take care of the sheep you trust me with.
His father agreed and blessed him. He knew that his son learned his lesson. He gave him another opportunity to prove that he had changed his behaviour.
The lamb, under the care of the little shepherd, soon was healed and ran happily through the fields with the other sheep. It was now being followed by the watchful eyes of the boy.
*
This also happens to us. Many times God, Our Father, confidently gives us the blessing to accomplish a task. We don’t perform it well, due to our own negligence.
The Lord gives the necessary resources for our progress at our disposal. We become unvigilant due to laziness and lack of awareness, indifferent to the divine opportunity that is given us. We often harm other creatures with our irresponsibility.
God, therefore, is a Loving Father. We always receive new opportunities to start over where we left from.
If we ask for help through prayer, God will surely come to us in times of difficulty.

                                                                                                                                                                                                   AUNTIE CÉLIA

Source: O Consolador – Weekly Spiritist Magazine
Author: Célia Xavier Camargo
Translation: Carolina von Scharten, London, linked to BUSS - The British Union of Spiritist Societies
Thanks Carolina Von Scharten