Not many people know this, but I once starred in a musical. I mean, technically, I can’t remember if I had one of the leading roles or not, but I am pretty sure I had a speaking part in the La Mesa First United Methodist Church’s production of “We Like Sheep.” The theme song for this children’s musical about the Good Shepherd has lived rent-free in my head for the last 35 or so years. Thanks to the Internet, I also skimmed the whole script this morning, and it was wild how my brain could sing almost every song. Seeing the music also reminded how the older man they cast as Jesus was very kind, but not the strongest singer. The plot of the show was quite simple: a group of sheep are doing life together until one sheep named Grimey decides to disobey the shepherd and go off on his own. In the shepherd’s nightly count, he realizes he only has 99 sheep instead of 100 and goes off to find the missing one. Grimey was not a well-liked sheep because he was mean to everyone, but the sheep discuss how, if the Shepherd loves him, they should love him and treat him more kindly. As you may have already guessed, the shepherd, whose name they learn is Jesus, returns with Grimey the lost sheep, and they all sing a song called “Celebration” at the end. Reading it as an adult really impressed me with how much sound theology was packed into this children’s musical. The Bible talks often about how much we are like sheep in need of a shepherd.

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Our Scripture today from 1 Peter talks about our “once was lost, but now am found” status in Christ. It gives away the end of the story, when there is a celebration that the one has been returned to the 99. In this second chapter of Peter, he is instructing believers how they should live and that they should be set apart for God. He reviews what Christ has done for them and that they were once lost but are now in the care of the “Overseer of your souls.” Peter wants followers of Christ to know what they were rescued from (judgment from sin) and who did the rescuing (Jesus, our good shepherd). Their right understanding of their lost state apart from Christ would be important as they went out to witness to others about the power of Christ to rescue from sin and death.

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When I was in elementary school, wearing a white t-shirt and felt sheep ears as I sang at the front of our church, I really thought I was one of the good sheep. Definitely, I wasn’t the bad sheep who broke the rules and blatantly disobeyed the shepherd by running off alone.  A few days ago, while writing this devotional though, it hit me: I am actually Grimey the sheep. I am the one who went astray and Jesus the Good Shepherd came and rescued me. I am constantly breaking the rules (sinning) and disobeying what God has instructed me to do.  

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So how does this realization change how I view others who are lost? When I no longer see myself as a part of the “in crowd” or the “good kids,” it gives me a different level of urgency and compassion to pursue the ones who are still lost.  

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The last song in the musical has these words: All we like sheep have gone astray, all we like sheep have wandered away, all we like sheep must learn to obey and follow him, follow him, follow him each day.  

Today, as we pray to Jesus our Good Shepherd, may our hearts be stirred toward those who are out in the spiritual wilderness, to those who have lost their way, the ones God already loves and desires to return to the “flock.” All of us as believers were once lost but now are found. May we be open to where we are being called to go after the one.