Three Forks, MT, Rodeo, and an eight-second ride. - Image taken by the owner.
A Modern Retelling of "The Lost Sheep"
It was full-on summer in Montana. The small town of Three Forks is at the headwaters of the mighty Missouri River, where the Madison, Gallatin, and Jefferson rivers come together.
Today starts the fabulous Rodeo Weekend, with parades, food vendors, the Rodeo, and the street dance afterwards. This year, there was a new addition; the volunteer fire department added just before the Rodeo a Chili Cook-off and a fair-like festival.
The air smelled like chili cook-off pots bubbling with cumin and peppers, kids darted between carnival booths with sticky cotton candy fingers, and the volunteer fireman, Mike Dawson, was filling bowls of chili as fast as he could. Yes, it was quite busy. The new addition was well received.
Mike was proud of this town. He had spent decades running into burning buildings and barns, hauling sandbags during floods, and even rescuing the occasional cat from a tree. But tonight, something tugged at him.
A whisper of worry.
He saw Tyler's mom looking very frantic, searching for him in the crowd.
Seventeen-year-old Tyler was missing again. Tyler had a reputation — the kind of kid who drifted. He would storm out of his house, vanish for hours or a night, and then reappear like nothing happened. Most folks just shrugged. "He'll be back," they muttered. "He always does."
Maybe it was the look on mom's face, a feeling, or the air didn't smell right, but Mike knew better. Tonight felt different.
The band cranked up on the festival stage. It is a couple of hours before the Rodeo starts. Mike handed the ladle to another volunteer and slipped away quietly. He left behind the chili tastings, the raffle tickets, the laughter — all to follow a hunch. Some people shook their heads. "Why's he wasting his time? One kid out of a hundred, and he'll come back like always."
Mike did not respond to their admonishments. He got into the fire station pickup truck and pondered for a moment as to where Tyler might have gone. He felt Tyler would go to one of his favorite hideouts north of town on the Madison River.
The hot summer air tugged at him as he followed the sound of rushing water. Then he heard it — faint, desperate shouting. He sprinted through the brush, branches clawing at his arms, and found Tyler tangled in thick, tall riverbank brush. The boy's body was almost completely submerged, the current tugging hard. He was seconds from going under.
"Hold on, kid!" Mike plunged in, mud sucking at his boots. He untangled Tyler from the brush. Tyler hung on tight, coughing and shaking, while Mike dragged him up to solid ground.
Tyler sobbed, clinging to him. "I thought… I thought I was done."
Mike wrapped a light jacket around the boy's shoulders. "Not on my watch."
Tyler, still shaken, apologized, "I'm sorry I took you away from the fun."
"You are way more valuable than any festival or chili cook-off!"
Back in town, people cheered when they saw the soaked and muddy fireman and Tyler get out of the fire station pickup. Mike handed Tyler a steaming bowl of chili, a buttered ear of corn, cornbread, and a Rodeo ticket. The people who had told him not to bother now applaud Mike for his effort and intuition.
You can count on this: when one goes missing, even the most troubled one, the public servant will leave the masses to bring the missing one home.
Tyler's near-death adventure had a positive effect on him. He became aware of his fragility that day and knew what his future would be. He wants to work with troubled teens. Oh, and he hinted that maybe a volunteer firefighter.
Meanwhile, Mike, sitting next to his Chili booth, soaking wet, exhausted, and covered in mud, shakes the hands of the well-wishers. Through the mud-spattered face, the glow from his eyes lights up like the glow from the setting sun.
Based on Luke 15:1-7
Synopsis:
In the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus shows God's heart for the one who strays. While others may say "they'll be fine" or dismiss their worth, the Shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to find the one in danger. This modern retelling reminds us: every life matters, and heaven rejoices when the lost are found.
Tap to read the actual bible passage:
Enjoying these stories? Please help us keep the lights on and more... Why Support Us