Two Sheep

Yesterday’s sermon told the story of two sheep. Since the sermon was in chinese, I shall attempt to do a translation in my own words...haha.

The Story of BaaBaa the black sheep and BaiBai the white sheep.

One day, BaaBaa met BaiBai and a conversation started.

From the start, BaaBaa started to boast:

“Hello Ah Bai! Long time no see. You know, I have been enjoying myself to the fullest and life is the best! Every day, I can go to the stream nearby for a refreshing drink of clear water early in the morning. Then, I get to graze happily all day on the large patch of green grass beside the water. Just ahead of the grassland, there is a long and wide valley where I can move about freely in and out of the area as I fancy. I have all the things I need. I can do what I want, as I like, and nothing can stop me. Isn’t my life the greatest?”

BaiBai thought for a while, then asked:

“You seem to be having the best things in life. You have all the freedom to move around as you please, to relax when you want to and you don’t have to worry about food or drink. You don’t seem to be lacking in anything at all and I’m sure there are many who would be envious of your life!

But then allow me to ask you something,

What if the stream you rely on for water runs dry one day?

What if there is a drought and all the green grass dies off?

What if a pack of wolves come attacking through that straight valley path?

What happens then?”

BaaBaa couldn’t answer, so he did the natural thing that came to him. He turned the tables around and asked the same questions back.

“So BaiBai, what would you do then?”

Bai Bai replied:

“ I do not have a fresh stream that I can drink from every day. Neither do I have a patch of grazing grass to call my own. The paths I trod on are usually narrow and winding, with rocks and pebbles sometimes getting in the way. Life is not always easy.

But, what I do have is a Shepard who loves me and who provides for me.

He calls my name and I follow. He leads me to green pastures and quiet waters. If there is an attack from wild beasts, my Shepard fights them off for me and is willing to use His own life to protect mine. I may not have everything but I know I have the One who provides all things.”

In the story, the green grass, fresh water and freedom can be used as analogies to many things in life that we think is needed in order to be happy- money, fame, prestige, status, recognition, academic results etc... We put such a high importance on to these things and try our hardest to achieve them. Once gotten, we think that life has reached its peak.
But what happens when the thing that we have built our entire lives on crumbles and fades?


At least for me, I know I have found my Shepard.

Have you?