Once there was a poor shepherd who was taking his sheep back home from grazing in the fields. Along the way he came across a traveler, who stopped to talk with him for a while. As they were about to part, the traveler pulled out his handkerchief to wipe his brow, but accidentally dropped his billfold out of his pocket in the process. The shepherd’s eyes widened when he caught a glimpse of the wad of money stashed inside. Suddenly gripped by greed, he lifted his rod and struck the man on the back of the head as he stooped to pick up his billfold.

As the shepherd grabbed the billfold and withdrew the money, a sudden fear overcame him. His eyes darted along the landscape to make sure there were no witnesses to his crime. Then stooping over his victim, he struck him several more times to make sure that he would never stand as witness against him, either. Then hastily he rushed his flock home, to get as far away from the scene of the crime as possible.

As he crossed the fields near his home, he happened to glance up at the sky. There he noticed the first two stars of the evening, and a cold shiver ran up his back. He looked once again behind him and hurried on his way.

That night he didn’t sleep a wink, but tossed and turned until dawn. For the first few weeks, he listened to the news of his brutal murder as it spread through the village, from the tavern to the store, from the café to the mill. He responded to the news with the expected horror… aghast. As time went on, his fear of being blamed ebbed away.

Fifty years passed, and the shepherd lay on his bed, nearing death. The local priest came to speak to him. When the priest entered the room, the shepherd began to shake…

Gancho’s Story

Comment: This story was told me by a Bulgarian man that I was able to share the gospel with. According to him it was a true story. This dear old man has since passed away. Though I was already back in the States when he died, I believe that as he lay on his own deathbed, he wasn't shaking with distress over his sins, but trusted in Jesus as his Savior, and now is with his Lord in heaven.

As far as the story... if we never confess our sins, if we never turn to God for help with our guilt, nothing ought to be more frightening than our deathbed... well, accept for what comes after.

The peace of Christmas, reminds us that Christ became our brother, so we might become his. How foolish it is to wait until our deathbed to admit our guilt and seek peace! The prodigal son never really knew the extent of his father's love, until he came home. Oh how he must have kicked himself for waiting so long to go back to his father. Guilt is the worst reason for staying away from God. Actually guilt is the best reason for running to him as quickly and as often as possible!

(London) Ziggy, an eight-year-old African grey, prompted a confession from 25-year-old call centre worker Suzy Collins that she was having a four-month fling with a former colleague when the pet blurted out: “Gary, I love you.”

The bird had previously said “Hiya, Gary” when Collins’ mobile phone rang and made kissing noises when the name was mentioned on radio or television but its owner, Chris Taylor, from Leeds, northern England, laughed it off.

...“We were watching telly when Ziggy blurted out, ‘I love you, Gary’ in Suzy’s voice. I started laughing but when I looked at Suzy, I could tell something was up. Her face was like beetroot and she started to cry,” the 30-year-old said.

“I felt sick to my stomach. She told me that she’d been seeing someone she’d met at work called Gary and that she wanted to finish with me.

...Collins told newspapers she was not proud of her actions but admitted she never liked Ziggy in the first place.

Taylor -- already divested of a girlfriend -- has now given away Ziggy.

“I couldn’t get him to stop saying that bloody name... what else could I do?” he said.

Pillow squawk: parrot lifts lid on British woman’s affair
January 17, 2006. AFP – Offbeat

Comment: We all have Ziggy the parrot in our hearts to remind us of our guilt. If only we would listen before we did something shameful or hurtful. To clarify the voice of 'Ziggy,' God tells us what his perfect will is in his Word. Instead of getting rid of 'Ziggy,' God gets rid of our sin through Jesus.

You don't have to dig very deeply into your own heart to find remnants of a hateful Cain, a greedy Lot, a deceitful Jacob, a jealous Esau, a dishonest Laban, a defiant Pharaoh, a grumbling, ungrateful Israel, a self-willed King Saul, a lustful David, a treacherous Absalom, a materialistic Solomon, a covetous Ahab, a self-righteous Pharisee, a traitorous Judas, a Christ-denying Peter, a cowardly Twelve, a doubting Thomas, a hypocritical Ananias and Sapphira, a lukewarm Laodicea, a chief of sinners Saul of Tarsus.

Valleskey, David J. 75th Anniversary Sermon: Preach the Gospel! p. 84
Spring 2005. Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Vol. 102, No. 2

Little Johnny burst through the front door with a smile on his face. Surprised that Johnny was home so early, his mother asked, “Why are you home from school so early?”

Johnny answered, “I was the only one who could answer a question.”

“Oh, really? What was the question?” his mother asked.

“Who threw the eraser at the teacher?”

Comment: As a mirror, the Law points the blame at us. We're guilty. We deserve to be sent packing... eternally.

A guy received a parrot for his birthday. The parrot was fully grown, with a bad attitude and worse vocabulary. Every other word was quite rude. His new owner tried to change the bird’s attitude by constantly saying polite words, playing soft music, and setting a good example.

But nothing worked. He yelled at the bird and the bird yelled back. He shook the bird and the bird just got more angry and rude. Finally, out of desperation, he threw the parrot into the freezer.

For a few moments he heard the bird squawk and kick and scream. Then suddenly there was quiet. Fearful that he had hurt the parrot, the man opened the freezer door. The bird calmly stepped out and onto his extended arm and said, “I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I will endeavor at once to correct my behavior. I really am truly sorry and beg your forgiveness.

The man was astonished at the bird’s change in attitude and was about to ask what had made such a dramatic change when the parrot continued, “May I ask what the chicken did?”

Author: Unknown

Comment: If we could all see the threat of hell (the currently roasted chickens), we might take our minutes more seriously.