The Lost Sheep
Luke 15:4-7 (WEB)
“Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing. When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
Reflection
The shepherd who leaves ninety-nine to find one. This is one of the most loved passages in Scripture, and it still speaks powerfully to the theme of belonging. The shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to search for the one. In God's economy, no single person is expendable or lost in the crowd. You are not a statistic to him; you are the one he would go out into the night to find. If you have ever felt overlooked or forgotten, let this story speak directly to you: you are sought, not abandoned. And consider who around you feels like the lost one — and how you might help them know they belong. Read Luke 15:4-7 again slowly, and let it shape how you live today — in your family, your work, and your church community. A prayer: Good Shepherd, thank you that you come looking for me. Help me rest in the truth that I belong to you, and make me someone who helps others feel found and welcomed. Amen.