In these two parables, we read of the foolish, reckless lengths one would go to find something that was lost. First, there is the shepherd who leaves the rest of the flock unattended while he searches for the one who has wandered away from the fold. Then there is the woman who turns her house upside down looking for a lost coin, only to spend much more than it is worth in celebrating its recovery. We usually hear this as Jesus affirming the value of those the Pharisees and scribes are grumbling about. I think that’s a fair understanding. But I wonder if Jesus is also speaking to the religious leaders who don’t even realize they are lost. Their self-righteousness and judgment of others has led them away from the love, welcome, and hospitality that Jesus embodies and calls his followers to. Sometimes, we hear Jesus’ words as applying to “them” and fail to realize their relevance for ourselves.
Can you think of a time when you wandered from God’s will or God’s way or from the family of Christ? How were you restored? Through whom or what circumstances did God seek you?
Today, consider where, in your life, you might be lost or wandering. Listen for the voice of the Good Shepherd, softly and tenderly calling you to come home.