A Parable of Ewes

by Donna Poole

Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, two ewes were the best of friends. Betty and Rose, their rams, and little lambs enjoyed the land of the Good Shepherd together. Their lambs ran and played in the green pastures while the parents talked around campfires and sat beside still waters. Friendship grew into family, and soon, you could hardly distinguish one family from another.

Their friendship became a little sanctuary from the storms of life. When one walked through shadows, they never walked alone. Their friends were there for them. They ate simple meals at rough picnic tables. Their cups ran over with joy. Have you ever heard sheep laugh? No? Too bad. It’s a memorable sound.  

Goodness and mercy followed them, and they expected to walk together on earth until they lived in the house of the Lord forever.

But something ominous was stalking the friendship. Something with yellow eyes, big teeth, and a long red tongue with saliva dripping from it. The big bad wolf was lurking, because, you know, he always is, whispering in ears, snapping at heels. Sadly, one day something that hurt like a sword divided the two ewes. The something doesn’t matter to this tale, nor does who was at fault, because when there is discord, there is seldom one ewe to blame.

Like they say, “It takes two to tango.” In 1952 Al Hofman and Dick Manning Wrote “Takes Two to Tango,” and singer Pearl Bailey made it popular that same year.

“You can sail in a ship by yourself,

Take a nap or a nip by yourself.

You can get into debt on your own.

There are lots of things that you can do alone.

(But it)

Takes two to tango.”

President Reagan was talking about Russian American relations in a 1982 news conference and saying the Russians needed to put actions to their words if they wanted to ease hostilities. He said, “It takes two to tango.”

The international media loved the phrase and spread it widely. It’s mostly used in a negative connotation.

It takes two to make a friendship, but it also takes two to end it. Hard words were said. They needed to be heard, but there were tears. The long-time friendship between the ewes ended.

A chilly breeze blew over the meadow. The still waters froze. Coolness and strained conversation replaced love and easy laughter, and friendship was no longer a little sanctuary from the storms of life. They still loved each other, but it was awkward. Avoidance became the name of the game.

A mysterious fence made of field stones grew ever higher between the two ewe families, and each was tempted to blame the other, until they realized it was a silly blame. Sheep can’t pile up rock fences; they don’t have hands. They saw dark shadows flit by the fence and heard gleeful howls at night. They shivered in the cold. They missed the warmth their friendship had once offered.

All the while the Good Shepherd had been looking out for them. He knew that far more dangerous than the wolf lurking without was the enemy waiting to pounce within. Bitterness is always ready to replace sorrow, and the root of bitterness chokes out everything good and destroys any chance of reconciliation. Though apart from each other, he kept the friends close to himself, and can those in the heart of God ever really be separated?

One ewe, Betty, prayed desperately that the friendship would be restored. Is it me, Lord? Change what needs changing in me. God did change her, but he didn’t give her back her friends. She kept praying, but time passed, and hope is fragile. Hope didn’t disappear from her sky, but clouds hid it from view much of the time. Betty grew quieter. She wanted to hide away herself.

An even older ewe saw what was happening and talked to Betty often. “Go out, go out,” she said. “Make other friends. There’s a new family in the pasture; they seem nice.”

“Perhaps they are.” Betty spoke just above a whisper. “But I’m never going to get close enough to them to find out.”

The Good Shepherd taught Betty a lesson in those lonely years. The best thing to do with love is turn it to prayer, and she prayed with all the love in her heart for her lost friends.

Years passed; the lambs were almost fully grown. It’s not true that time heals all wounds, but it does make a heart tender that refuses to become bitter, and Betty did make new friends. The new family in the pasture became one of her nearest and dearest. And then one day the Good Shepherd sent another blessing. Though Betty was almost too old for lambs, he gave her a beautiful little one.

Not long after that, Betty and Rose found themselves together in the pasture. Rose looked at the beautiful lamb and the lamb smiled up at her. “Could I?” Rose asked. Betty nodded. And Rose nuzzled the baby.

The two ewes smiled at each other. Neither heard the sound of the rock wall tumbling down, but the Good Shepherd laughed as he kicked it apart. There’s no wall too high or too strong for him. The wolf snarled, threw up his head, gave one lone howl, and slunk into the shadows.

Betty and Rose and their rams are best of friends again. Shadows are deeper around them now, because they are old, and they know the final shadow, the shadow of death will someday come. But they will be there for each other, a little sanctuary from the storm. Their times by the still waters are few but sweeter than ever. They rejoice with a chastened grace. Once again, friends are like family, but you can tell where one family ends and the other begins, and that’s a good thing. Goodness and mercy follow them, and one day they will dwell in the house of the Lord, together, forever.

The ewes and rams have grown a bit wiser with their years. They’ve learned to watch out for dark shadows and listen for distant howls and to run quickly to the Good Shepherd. Because of that, their friendship is safe, and so are they.

The end

***

These blogs are now available in book form on Amazon:

Backroad Ramblings Volume One: Stories of Faith, Love, and Laughter

Backroad Ramblings Volume Two: Stories of Faith, Love, and Laughter

Backroad Ramblings Volume Three: Stories of Faith, Love, and Laughter

Backroad Ramblings Volume Four: Stories of Faith, Love, and Laughter

I have six other books on Amazon as well, four fiction books in the “Life at the Corners” series, and two children’s Christmas picture books.

Please follow me on Facebook at Donna Poole, author

This photo is from JasonAshley Thomson and is used by permission.