EVERSE

There once was a herd of goats who were always looking for green grass.  Not that they didn’t have enough to eat but they always wanted the juiciest and tender clippings because those tasted the best.  As soon as the best blades were eaten they’d wonder on leaving behind a big mess from their hoofs and discarding of waste.  Worse yet they were taking the best food for themselves leaving meager portions for the other animals.

At one point the other animals banded together to confront the goats.  It wasn’t that the other animals wanted to get rid of them but they wanted the goats to understand that all of life is intertwined and one group’s actions effects the other.  If they wanted to live in peace and harmony then they had to help each other.  But, the goats felt the other animals were being lazy and told them that if they worked a bit harder perhaps they would be able to acquire better food too.

The herd of sheep were not readily known for being the wise ones in the group of animals.  They even caused more than their share of damage to the pastures at times.  But, they had big hearts and were always willing to help.  In fact, they were so willing to help at times that they would give away all the grass they had to keep the cows and deer and Buffalo’s from starving when times were tough.  The sheep found it difficult to protect themselves from predators being slow and clumsy on foot so they organized themselves along with the other animals into neighborhood watch groups that constantly looked out for wolves and lions on the prowl.  The sheep accepted that though the other animals were brighter and faster that they all needed to work together to create a safer world for their children.

One year a drought hit the land and caused a famine among the animals.  The sheep and goats gathered large quantities of grass to keep them through this terrible predicament.  As the famine spread and worsened the predicament of the animals grew dire.  The sheep did their best to help the others by supplying much needed food that they themselves had gathered and needed to the others.  The sheep were consumed with helping animals that were less fortunate and keeping the greedy vultures away from those dieing in the hot sun by tending to their needs.

The goats had gathered a large store of tender, juicy grass that they hoarded in a well built store house.  Many animals pleaded with them for help but the goats always said that if the others would have planned better then they wouldn’t be in this predicament.  Never mind the fact that the goats had organized themselves into a vast army that had swept across the best pastures gathering up grass.  The goats did relent to hand out grass that had become moldy or wasn’t the choicest pickings after some animals died of starvation in front of the door to their store house.

Once this great famine was over Jesus visited the devastated valley.  He tended to the wounds of the animals and blessed the sheep for their hospitality ensuring them that though they sacrificed without any thought of receiving a reward they would be given green pastures in Paradise.  But, when Jesus came to the fortified store house of the goats he found them to be fat and lazy though everyone else was lean and skinny.  Not only were the goats rebuked but their inheritance was the now dried out wasteland that they had helped to create.  After they protested and said that they had helped the less fortunate during the famine Jesus held up the bones of the animals who died in front of the doors to their store house.  The goats became silent as tears fell from the Lord’s eyes upon the bones causing them to rattle, skin to reform, and life to return to what had been death.  But, the goats received no tears or compassion for none was given by them.