The Sheep That Was Found

(Matthew 18:9-14)

FLORENCE IRENE GUBBINS

I stood upon the outskirts of the crowd
That thronged about him in the market place.
And he was seated in an open door,
With children clustered round him; and his hands
Were placed in blessing on the smallest one
That climbed about his knees, so confident
Of welcome, heeding not the stern rebuke
Of his disciples standing anxiously
To keep away intruders. Big brown eyes
Looked into still depths of his tenderness,
With happy shouts, as little children will
When they have found a playmate and a friend.
And then with arms about the little brood,
He looked around him and began to speak
Of heaven and of his Father's love, and how
The kingdom is of such as these, and how
Their angels do behold the Father's face
In guilelessness and cloudless

And as he spake, it seemed that we were all
As little children in the Father's sight.
No longer sinful, old in wickedness,
With heavy burdens of increasing years,
And lonely heartaches, disappointed hopes,
But free as winged birds, and pure as snow.
And then he told a story of a sheep
That went astray into the wilderness,
To lawlessly at its own will
Where tangled thorns and prowling wolves await
Their prey; told how the faithful shepherd went
After that sheep to seek it out, nor stayed
The search until his sheep was found and lo,
He did rejoice yet more for that one sheep
Than for all others safely in the fold.
And even so, it is the Father's will
Not one of all these little ones should fail,
Or perish in the wilderness of sin.

And as he spake, his steadfast eyes sought mine,
And I looked into them through blinding tears;
And when they fell like rain upon my breast
I felt my guilt go with them, leaving me
All clean and washed like spring flowers after rain
On April days when all the sky is swept
Of clouds, and the clear blue shines out
In radiant happiness. I saw my sins
Fade out like mists before the morning sun,
And all my past was as an idle dream
Of foolish images of no import.