The church I serve is the downtown area of a small city in a rural state.  We are in and amongst some sheep that are not like our ‘average’ sheep.  Most of the flock comes from neighborhoods where they must drive to church.  The body is made up of many loving sheep from lots of the different pastures around town.  But when we come together we form one body.  Gathered there and when apart, we all strive to listen to the same One voice of Jesus.  In His voice we find nurture and protection, guidance and conviction, strength and comfort, love.

Occasionally ‘another’ sheep wanders into our enclosure on a Sunday morning or on a Wednesday night.  Sometimes, to the casual observer, they are hard to identify as not being of our flock.  In other cases, it is easy to see they are not part of the regular flock.  But do we realize that almost all of these sheep are seeking to hear the same One voice we are there to hear?  On Wednesdays some of these ‘other’ sheep are there trying to find a warm meal and to be in a safe places for a little while.

As the Good Shepherd, his voice calls out to us all.  Not just to some – to all!  As we find ourselves next to a sheep that is different from ‘us’, may we NOT look them over with the “What are you doing here?” look in our eyes.  Instead, may we show them the same love we would show our own spouse or son or daughter.  He is calling them too.  There is no one Jesus wants to see outside the fold.  Why should we?