Either My Way or the Highway #UMC: The Parable of the Spotted Sheep

Last updated on: June 14, 2023 at 11:36 am by Christy Thomas

Either My Way or the Highway #UMC: The Parable of the Spotted Sheep 2023-06-14T11:36:28-05:00 Christy Thomas

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

After greeting the shepherd, the Landlord wandered through the sheep, looking more and perturbed, and finally saying, “What happened to the spotted sheep I gave you?

no spotted sheep allowed

No spotted sheep permitted © Christy Thomas, using Adobe Stock photos

I have just read John Lomperis extensive post on how The United Methodist Church is to move forward. It is a strong call to doctrinal purity, and, should it be adopted, will mean that any who don’t agree with the IRD (The Institute on Religion and Democracy, a heavily funded right-wing political group that has been trying for at least 20 years to destroy the UMC) will have to leave. As I wrote several months ago, “The Inquisition Cometh!” Yes, indeed it will under this proposal.

I was discussing this with a friend who has been highly successful in business and his response spurred this parable.

The Parable of the Spotted Sheep

The shepherd, wanting to present to the landlord the best flock ever, took a hard look at the nearly 5000 sheep under his care. Most were fully white, and they looked elegant against the green hills, like pure white clouds on a bed of verdant green. However, something was just not quite right. The flock didn’t look as clean and pure as they should.

On close inspection, the shepherd noted a minority of sheep with a black spot.

It made the flock look slightly dirty, and anything but uniform. So, the shepherd, again wanting to present to the Landlord nothing but the best, culled all the sheep with the black spots. He sent them away with some vague instructions as to where they might find other green pastures, and went back to his much purer and cleaner flock of 4198 sheep.

As he busily fed them and washed them and harvested their wool and watched over them, he discovered something a bit worrisome. Some of the flock had developed brown spots near their noses and ears. It was especially noticeable right after they had given up their wool and were more exposed by their generosity.

Again, wanting to give the Landlord only the best, he sent those brown spots away, but with less direction as to where they might find another shepherd and care. He returned, pleased with the result, and went back to taking care of his 2633 sheep. He hadn’t heard anything about the fate of the black spots, but assumed that no news was good news and they were fine. The brown spots should fare just as well.

Over the next few years, the shepherd’s skill at finding flaws grew. His eyes became sharper, more critical of any imperfections, any divergences from the pure white norm. He turned even greater energies on clearing out imperfections, raising his standards year by year.

It danced on the edge of his consciousness that the number of new lambs decreased each year Furthermore, the number of lambs that died upon birth increased, as many were born with birth defects. However, he felt that those problems would self correct as soon as he was able to more fully purify the flock.

And so, the pride in the purity of his flock increased. He waited eagerly for the day when the Landlord would show up. We felt assured of receiving a pat him on the back as a good and faithful servant–and expected a bigger flock to manage as a result.

On one of those perfect spring days, right after the lambing had finished for the season, the Landlord walked up to the pasture. The pure flock, all 493 of them, were at their best–their white brightness set off perfectly by the green grass. The shepherd proudly handed over the bona-fides of each of the sheep as they grazed peacefully before them, nearly preening in their perfection.

After greeting the shepherd, the Landlord wandered through the sheep, looking more and perturbed. Finally, he said to the shepherd, “What happened to the spotted sheep I gave you? I sent them so that you might have variety in genetics and far more vitality in your flocks. They offered balance, color and health to the entire enterprise. What have you done with them?

The shepherd, totally off balance, said, “but . . . I thought you’d be happy by the purity of the flock! I sent the others away.”

The Landlord said, “It’s my job to purify the flock–it was yours to nurture them, feed them, and protect them. And now I learn that you sent them away, defenseless, hungry and unprotected. Furthermore, you have brought me to the edge of bankruptcy. Depart from me, you unfaithful servant. Leave me to grieve over what I have lost.”

And so goes in The United Methodist Church as the move comes from both extremes to “purify it” and expel all the Black Spots and Brown Spots. God grieves, but who cares about that?

Previous Post

November 4, 2014

Glory of Zion: A Whirling Dervish of a Service

Next Post

November 11, 2014 The Separation of Sex and Procreation: What Can Separate Us from the Love of God?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category " obedience abortion accommodation accountability administration adolescence Advent advice an ordinary death anxiety apology apportionments Ash Wednesday ask thoughtfulpastor baptism betrayal Bible bondage calling certainty change character charity children Christianity Christmas church church as garden clergy clergy credentials closure comfort compassion competition compromise Confirmation conservation conservative conspiracy theories consumer conversion coronavirua corruption courage covenant cultural context death Deconstruction discipleship discord divorce doctrine doing good drugs dysfunctional Easter Easter; Resurrection education election entertainment envy escape evaluation evil exclusive church exercise faith faithfulness family fasting fear feast featured film review finances first world problem food forgiveness fundamentalist garden gay marriage General Conference generosity giving thanks GLBT glory good government grace guilt habit happy harmony hateful acts healing health health care heaven hell hello/goodbye heresy hidden agenda holiness homelessness homosexuality humility hymn hypocrisy Imago Dei In training inclusive church indulgence injustice innocents insurance intolerance itinerancy joy Justice kindness Kingdom of Heave kingdom of heaven language laughter laundry lawsuit leadership Lent LGBTQ liberal life Little Things Matter longform meandering thoughts memories mercy metaphor metrics miracle misfortunes morality Mormon Muslim mystery worship natural disasters New Category Name nutrients older adults oppression pain Paleo paperwork partnered pastor peace pension pharmaceutical placebo politics poverty prayer privilege public schools questions quiet racism rain reason reconciliation religion repentance requirements rescue respect rest resurrection retirement Sabbath sacrament sacred salvation same-sex marriage sanctuary schism schooling science SCOTUS secrecy separation of church and state sexism sexuality short cuts silence sin sleep soil spiritual journey stillness suffering surgery sustainable church teacher technology thank you theology therapy thinking tolerance TOS trust truth Uncategorized welcome Why Easter? wisdom women worship

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 December 2025 October 2025 September 2025 July 2025 June 2025 March 2025 February 2025 December 2024 November 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 April 2024 March 2024 January 2024 December 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 October 2022 September 2022 July 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 October 2021 July 2021 June 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 January 2020 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 July 2007 March 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz