Demetrius' Story, Step 23

Step 23

Strange thoughts from their earlier conversation swirled through Demetrius’ mind as he stared up into a night sky, alive with stars. Much of what Alter said did not make sense. Alter had spoken of a God who loved His creation so much that He wanted to save it. In order to save it, He even sent His son. And that was not all, there was this talk of loving those that hated you. What kind of God wanted you to love the very people that hurt you? And why would He let His son be born into a Jewish family, and a working-class one at that? Then to top it all off, why did He let His son be crucified? None of it seemed to make any sense. But Alter seemed to accept it all as true. The sleeping sheep occasional snuffing and snorting sounds in the fold behind him.

Demetrius always enjoyed the time spent in the fold near Bethlehem. The fold kept the sheep safe and they were able to get good food here. Also, Bethlehem was near Jerusalem and this afforded him opportunity, opportunity for escape. Demetrius had been looking for a chance to escape ever seen Enosh had purchased him. He’d initially considered running away when they were out in the country but did not want to have to make his way through the hill country. He believed that he could slip into the crowds of Jerusalem, disappearing and joining some caravan heading away from here and hopefully down to the coast. There, he would try to join the crew of a ship headed to a port in Asia and then make his to Galatia and home. But he had a problem.

Lying there in the doorway, Demetrius realized he cared about Alter. He worried about what Enosh would do to Alter if he were to run away. Enosh had made it quite clear that he held Alter responsible for what happened with the sheep, and he could be quite volatile when provoked. Demetrius did not like thinking about the punishment Enosh would inflict in his rage. And, in a strange way, he felt sorry for Enosh as well. Demetrius didn’t know what it was, but he knew that Enosh carried his own grief. It bothered him that he might add to the strange man’s pain. He was not used to such thoughts and no matter how hard he tried to dismiss them, they returned.