Leaves the ninety-nine
A few months ago, I was thinking about the parable of the lost sheep. (Luke 15:3-7, John 18:12-14). While meditating on this scripture, I asked myself why the shepherd would leave ninety-nine sheep in the middle of the field and put them in danger just to go save the one sheep that got away.
To my selfish mind this sounded irrational. I struggled to understand why the one that got away is the one that deserves more attention than the ones who follow the rules. Why would the shepherd go after the rebellious one, the one that wasn’t paying attention, the one that didn’t follow orders and bring it back to the herd, seemingly at risk of losing more sheep?
While reflecting on this parable 3 things came to mind:
- We are all equally valuable to God, He loves us the same
Despite our shortcomings, God sees our potential and the purpose He has set before us. He is a God of unlimited second chances. As Galatians 1:4 reminds us, He is ready to come to our rescue no matter how far we’ve strayed, we just need to call out to Him.
- Heaven celebrates repentance
Admitting that we need God in our lives, that we have failed Him, that we need to turn away from our sin is cause for celebration in the heavens. Luke 15:7 tells that there will be more rejoicing in heaven for a sinner that repents than for those that do not need to repent.
- He trusts us to take care of each other
The reason the shepherd can leave the ninety-nine and go after the one is because there is strength in the community. He knows that if He leaves ninety-nine together, He can count on them to take care of each other. God established His church so that we can keep each other accountable, safe, and connected to Him. Being part of a community that loves God, that searches after God’s own heart is contagious. As the saying goes, “we all need each other”. Isolation makes us vulnerable, but together, we grow.
This parable reminds us that God pursues us relentlessly, even when we are the ones that have wandered. He trusts us, the ninety-nine, to stay together while He brings back the one that is lost. John 10:10 warns us the thief came to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus came so that we may have an abundant life. Choose an abundant life and try not to be “the one”. But if you are “the one”, then know that Jesus is coming to bring you back.