Shunning is the opposite behavior of the lost sheep illustration. A person who accidentally crosses paths with a “lost sheep” is told to run like hell away!
This happens to me often at my Farmer’s market where l sell.
Packing up this past very hot Saturday a middle aged woman in a modest skirt, blouse and simple pearl necklace asked did l also made wooden bowls. I said l rarely do as l am primarily a maker of kitchen tools, spoons and the like. She soon launched into a pleasant and nearly personal revery on bowls her son makes. She went on at some length before saying suddenly. My name is ———-.Aren’t you one of Jehovah’s Witnesses from such and such congregation?
And l vaguely remembered her as one of those off in the woods folks. Sweet l remembered but l knew she was in for a crash landing.
”Not any more” l told her.
Her eyes turned from me and her face fell frozen. I said the obvious “ so we can’t talk” and she walked away without any sound but the rustling of her petticoat.
l hope the sheer innocence of our conversation haunts her. They don’t see us as lost sheep —but they have made us the black sheep the evil ones of the fold and yet they never ask us —why?