Sheep are wayward creatures.  Some sheep get lost because they don’t pay attention to their surroundings.  They’re too busy focusing on their next meal.  Other sheep deliberately leave the flock.  They have a rebellious spirit that refuses to heed the shepherd’s call.

      In such instances, the shepherd utilizes a drastic measure.  To the sheep that continually does its own thing the shepherd will break one of its legs.  The practice may appear rather draconian yet such an action may be potentially lifesaving.  A lost sheep is a vulnerable sheep.  A lost sheep can fall prey to predators that would enjoy nothing more than lamb chops for dinner.

      Being a shepherd, David would have been familiar with the process of laming sheep.  David wrote, “The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17, NRSV).  Theologically, I don’t believe that God goes around deliberately breaking the legs of wayward people like a mafia strong man.  However, experience leads me to conclude that God does allow the circumstances of life to break our pride and move us to yield our hearts to Him.

       From the perspective of both the sheep and the Shepherd, brokenness is a good thing.  Seasons of brokenness may be painful but they ultimately lead to our greater healing.  Like the sting of an antiseptic that is poured on an open wound, the temporary anguish we feel is necessary to cure our souls.

            In his song, Take My Life, Micah Stampley wrote the following:

“Brokenness, brokenness is what I long for,

brokenness is what I need.

Brokenness, brokenness is what you want for me.

Take my heart and mold it.

Take my mind, transform it.

Take my will, conform it to yours, to yours, O Lord.”