The Parable of the Shepherd and the Sheep

There once was a shepherd entrusted to take care of his master’s sheep. Most of the sheep were white but there were a few who had wool that were not all white. The shepherd led these few sheep to the waters because he thought that they were just dirty. He did not want different sheep, just white ones. However, these few sheep were still not white after they came out of the water. The shepherd thought, “these are not real sheep, because all sheep are white!”

The shepherd tried to get these non-white sheep out of the sheep pen. He beat them. He cursed them. He kicked them. He threw them. He hurt them so much, thinking that when these sheep turned back to him, they would be pure white. Alas, a few of them left the sheep pen.

The shepherd, with his undershepherds, tried calling back these few who strayed, but they would no longer listen to his voice. Then the shepherd says, “it’s no problem. They were never part of this sheep pen in the first place. At least we still have all these white sheep with us!”

[Ernest Serote. 25 December 2011. Dumaguete City]