"Farmers, Shepherds & Sheep"

Once there was a farmer that entered a field;

To sow precious seed, his life he did yield.

Committed to tilling the soil dry and hard;

Full of dead roots and stones, that field was my heart.

Now the field appeared ready, with its many fine rows;

Who could tell it was empty? The land owner knows.

For with its many straight rows and borders neatly squared,

The land owner knew that nothing grew there.

So, the farmer did plow and break up the ground;

With a plow very sharp he dug deep down.

I could not believe what was unearthed;

Stones and briers, there from my birth.

Finally, I saw what lay beneath,

But what the farmer said I could not believe.

Then came the second farmer, I greeted with delight,

For I knew he would show me that which is right.

Yet I could see clearly as his plow dug down,

And I knew right away I was unready ground.

As soon as the farmers had done their right work,

I began to sow seed that grew to my hurt.

Then came the rain of the world flooding down,

Washed away some seed and closed up the ground.

The field went untended for quite some time,

But the land owner had a plan divine.

The farmers did pray that the work was not in vain,

That some more would till and plant it again.

Now there once was a shepherd who heard a sheep cry;

Lost in the darkness, about to die.

He opened the gate and let the sheep in,

In spite of its wounds, inflicted by sin.

He picked up the stray and fed it good milk,

And bound up its wounds so that they might heal.

He told the other sheep, "Show him where to graze,"

And before long the sheep stood amazed.

For here was field, green all the time,

Where sheep do not hunger, save for that which is divine.

And one day this dog with no right to claim,

Was told, "God loves you," and he believed the same.

Now there is a field that needs constant tending,

And has a farmer that knows about row mending.

Now there is a sheep with fluffy white wool;

Once lost and dying, but no longer a fool.

And now it is clear that God chose me;

And now at night I have good sleep.

And every day and all through the week,

I thank God for farmers, for shepherds, and sheep.

- Robert Hunt