The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin

Story of lad who worked in a ship's galley

It was the boy's job to keep the galley clean, and to throw out the scraps into the sea, at the same time each morning.

One day at breakfast, someone noticed he was missing. The boat was searched, and he was nowhere to be found.

The captain was told about the lad, and he commanded the boat to sail on a for a while until they could clearly see by the wash (or a trail of oil) exactly which direction they were coming from. He noted at what time the boy went missing, and the ship was turned around and returned to the area, and everyone was told to look out with binoculars for him.

After a short while someone saw a small speck in the waves not far away, and it was indeed the boy, alive and well. When asked how he felt when he was scooped out of the water, he replied. "I knew the captain would come back for me."

'I knew the captain would come back for me.' Here was a ship's captain not unlike the shepherd and the woman, who was dependable and persistent in his searching.

There was an openness about him, an unconditional love, a lack of judgementalism, an eagerness and hopefulness that things would turn out well and when they did, there was such a joy, such  welcome, such relief! Compare this attitude to: the religious of the day in the gospel story: who were very guarded in their comments, afraid to speak out openly, but whose 'aside' comments, were acidic and evil.

They were niggardly and grumpy, easily offended, and demanded perfect adherence to the laws. Moreover they could NOT see their own sins!

Here were the 99 righteous people  who needed no repentance

We don't get a sense of the emotions of the lost when hearing a story about a coin or a sheep. But in considering someone cast adrift and alone… we have more idea.

In such a story we see and feel better a person's feelings at being left alone and lost; the wanderings, the searching, the hoping; the longing for security, and normality again; the fright the terror and the panic, the fear at not knowing how to return; the desperation; the prayers that are perhaps prayed.

But that ONE lad was important to the captain! (if this speaks to your situation know this, you are very important to God.)

Do we want the Father's heart for others who are lost?

 Do we already have it?'

As the Father has sent me, so have I sent you'…not as it says in John 3 17..to judge the world, but to save it! I believe that in this day and age, we won't have to venture out very far, before we are being found by a lost soul. They will find us… if we are willing to venture into places we wouldn't normally go! I have found this time and time again, in pubs and clubs, in community centres and gyms and in places of work, (but then again a collar is a give away to being identified as a Christian.)

The tax-collectors and sinners found Jesus! The 'religious' of the day had no message for them they wanted to hear, for they spoke words of judgement and condemnation.

 But Jesus spoke words of hope to them, they heard wisdom in his words, they saw compassion in his deeds.

What do others see of Jesus in us?