Luke 15: 4 "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home."
As I was interacting over Zoom with Lori Hatcher to record a recent Practical Faith Academy podcast, my eyes kept drifting to a photo behind her. In the foreground was a little, awkward lamb in the woods; in the background, you could see a character, much like we imagine Jesus, racing full speed toward the lamb.
When I read the parable of the lost sheep, I typically identify with the ninety-nine left behind. As Jesus explains, there will be more heavenly rejoicing over the lost sinner than over the ninety-nine who did not need to repent.
But perhaps I treat myself too kindly. Sometimes, I am the lost sheep. Or I'm the prodigal, a story which follows in the same thread of thought later in Luke 15. I'm the one who wanders away on my own, making bad choices, finally realizing my home is back with the Lord, and glad to see that my Savior is running toward me as I turn.
Recently I encountered a couple of people who were lost sheep in their own ways. I can reflect on them differently when I remember that Jesus is chasing them, too, through the searching Holy Spirit.
We're all lost sheep at times. Honestly assessing this fact should make us humble, grateful, and kinder toward our fellow lost sheep.
Speaking of podcasts, please check out the Lori Hatcher episode. Trust me, you'll get a lot out of it as you consider your practical faith journey for 2025. Search on major podcast platforms for "Practical Faith Academy."
Also, it's not too late to get caught up on my slow-paced Gospel reading plan to read just the four Gospels in a year. Visit CecilTaylorMinistries.com to download it.
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