The Sheep and the Good Shepherd

Elder Jorge T. Becerra recounted the following in the most recent general conference: “In 1849, Brigham Young had a dream in which he saw the Prophet Joseph Smith driving a large herd of sheep and goats. Some of these animals were large and beautiful; others were small and dirty. Brigham Young recalled looking into the Prophet Joseph Smith’s eyes and saying, ‘Joseph, you have got the darndest flock … I ever saw in my life; what are you going to do with them?’ The Prophet, who seemed unconcerned with this unruly flock, simply replied, ‘[Brigham,] they are all good in their places.’” He continued, “When President Young awoke, he understood that while the Church would gather a variety of ‘sheep and goats,’ it was his responsibility to bring all in and allow each of them to realize their full potential as they took their places in the Church.” This story reminded me of a talk by Elder Renlund in which he quoted from Les Misérables: “As the novel opens, the narrator introduces Bienvenu Myriel, the bishop of Digne, and discusses a dilemma facing the bishop. Should he visit a man who is an avowed atheist and is despised in the community because of his past behavior in the French Revolution? The narrator states that the bishop could naturally feel a deep aversion for the man. Then the narrator poses a simple question: ‘All the same, should the scabs of the sheep cause the shepherd to recoil?’ Answering for the bishop, the narrator provides a definitive answer, ‘No’—and then adds a humorous comment: ‘But what a sheep!’” Both of these stories speak of a shepherd helping imperfect sheep, reminding us that the Good Shepherd does not give up on us just because we have flaws. They also invite us as shepherds to love and care for the sheep in our stewardship no matter what their weaknesses may be. We have to look past the quirks and imperfections of those around us and remember both that we are each “good in [our] places” and that we can each come unto the Savior to realize our full potential.

                Throughout our lives we meet all kinds of people, many of whom are so different from ourselves that we are led to also say, “What a sheep!” I certainly experienced that as a missionary, meeting hundreds of people whose personalities and lives were totally foreign to my own experiences. But Brigham’s dream invites us to not judge but rather see others as the Lord sees them and seek to help them and ourselves come unto the Savior. Elder Becerra also told this powerful scripture story: “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength” (Acts 3:1–7). Peter and John did not judge or criticize the beggar; rather, they sought to bring him unto the Savior and helped him to walk both physically and spiritually. As we interact with others surely that is the same pattern we should follow: set aside judgment and invite them to exercise faith in the Savior. Our role as disciples of Christ is not to “fix” others or change their behavior; rather, it is to bring them unto the Savior so He can heal and transform them. I love Alma’s invitation to the people of Zarahemla and to each of us: “Behold, I say unto you, that the good shepherd doth call you; yea, and in his own name he doth call you, which is the name of Christ…. And now I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call after you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you into his fold, and ye are his sheep” (Alma 5:38, 60). We can all seek to hearken the voice of the good shepherd and encourage others to likewise hear His invitation to be in His fold.