Walking with the sheep in the meadows, Joshua hummed an old tune which kept the sheep bunched close together, comfortable that they were being shepherded by someone familiar. Joshua thought about his family as he sang in his clear, firm and soothing voice. He was happy that Rueben was grown up enough to help him with the work.
Lost in his thoughts he almost did not see Andrew coming from the east along with his flock of sheep. He waved at him and slowed down. Smiling broadly, his swarthy face full of happiness, Andrew called out, “You old dog, I wanted to be the first to reach the grass but I can see that you also had the same idea.”
Smiling, Joshua said, “Now both of us can reach the place early. How is your wife? Is she feeling fine, today?”
Andrew’s face creased with concern but he tried to hold on to his smile, “She is quite fine. With a couple of day’s rest she should be as good as new. But the first few days, I was worried about Elizabeth. Her fever just refused to break for four straight days”.
As the two walked along companionably the sheep integrated themselves into one flock. On the far end they saw another shepherd Micah. He didn’t bother to wave or acknowledge them. But they didn’t expect him to either. He was a crabby person.
When he drew nearer to them, Micah asked, “Are you planning to shear your sheep or are you going to let the poor animals have long locks like women? Don’t tell me your bones have become lazy.”
Looking at his own trimmed animals, he declared pompously, “I completed the task a week ago. And I don’t even have a son to help me like you do Joshua.”
Then satisfied with his taunts Micah strolled away. His comment made both Joshua and Andrew cringe but they also thought about the shearing. There would be hectic days ahead when shearing began; the work would keep them busy and their bodies would ache from the long hours.
Andrew was the first to speak. “When will you be shearing the sheep? I want to call my cousin Jesse to help me this time. Last time by the time the shearing ended I was drained and had to rest for a full day.”
Joshua laughed. “What rubbish, you are the most fit person amongst us. You just took the day off to laze around. You wanted your wife and children to fuss over you.”
When Andrew protested, Joshua said, “Get your cousin if you must. I am thinking of asking Rueben to help me this time. He might seem young but it’s better to start young. It gives a person so many more years of experience.”
On their way, they stopped for a while and waited for the sheep to get a few mouthfuls of the grass. The sheep ate there almost daily on their way but they were impatient creatures who could not wait to reach their destination where there was lots of green grass to eat.
With a thoughtful look, Joshua commented, “When do we have to sell the sheep at the temple? I already have too many sheep anyway; I need to prune the flock. This time, I want to go there along with Rueben; it’s been a while since I last went to Jerusalem. I want to offer a thanksgiving offering. Do you want to come also?”
Shaking his head, Andrew said, “I will pass this time. Maybe, next time, friend. I don’t have that many sheep and I don’t want to be away for long since Elizabeth is expecting any day now.”
Smiling Joshua nodded, “I remember how anxious I use to be whenever Sarah was in the family way. Now it is your turn but don’t worry, God is great. He will take care of everything. But it’s not your first time, so don’t worry.”
Micah appeared from nowhere to comment, “Don’t keep relying of God. We haven’t heard from him in years. We are in bondage. Who can defeat the Romans, not even God.”
When both the men protested, Micah asked, “Where is the promised Messiah? Tell me, where are your tongues now”. He muttered, “God, they say. Who has seen him anyway?”
“But I have not time to waste. I need to go to where the best grass is. You can while away your time here. Don’t wait for God. It could be forever”, he said sarcastically as he went off herding his sheep.
Joshua gave the departing Micah a thoughtful look. “I wonder what made him so bitter. We all have hard lives but he seems so negative.”
Andrew shrugged, “Don’t ask me. You have known him longer.”
“Hey the sheep are all over the place, let’s get them back. While we were busy talking, the sheep wandered away,” shouted Andrew.
Both men ran after the sheep from opposite sides shouting to get them to return. Finally they got them rounded up. They drove the sheep faster and covered quite a lot of ground. By the time the sun was up the two shepherds had reached the lush green meadows near the river where they planned to let the sheep eat to their hearts’ content.
The two men saw that they were the first ones to arrive near the Jordan River so they selected a nice place under the shade of the trees where they could also watch over the sheep. Joshua sat under the tree and watched the river as it gurgled past with its clear waters shimmering like stars under the sun. The sight of the river with the lush green meadows on both banks lifted his spirits. Sitting there, he got lost in his thoughts.
Andrew meanwhile tended the sheep a little distance away. Joshua thought of the first time he saw Sarah when she walked past him at the marriage ceremony of her cousin Rebecca. It was fifteen years since then but the thought of his sweet wife as she looked then still managed to give him goose pimples. Daydreaming, Joshua did not notice that the other shepherds came with their sheep as the day progressed.
But not for long, because Micah was again taking pot shots at them. “Listen men, how many of you believe that Yahweh, the God of Jews is listening to us anymore”. Micah’s comments did extract sneers from other shepherds but they did not want to get into this controversial discussion so they walked away herding their sheep along.
Later Joshua and Andrew had their lunches which their wives had packed. But they kept their eyes on the sheep to ensure no predators attacked them or that the sheep did not stray. By late evening they rounded up the sheep and proceeded for home.
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