Read Luke 15:1-7
In Luke 15 we start by seeing Jesus talk to a group of self-righteous men who think God likes them the most. They’re struggling to understand why Jesus is hanging out with people that they consider to be losers, outcasts, and less important than themselves.
Jesus starts by sharing a story about a lost sheep. In this story we notice that the shepherd represents Jesus and the sheep represent people, like you and me. To start, it’s important to note that sheep like to stay together. They feel more protected in groups. The fact that there is a single sheep separated from the group means that it’s lost and in trouble. Maybe she’s sick, injured, or has fallen over and can’t get up. Which may explain why the shepherd carries it back on his shoulders.
So why does the shepherd go after the lost sheep? It’s unlikely the shepherd is concerned about the loss of income from losing one sheep out of 100. Sheep reproduce quickly, so the lost sheep could easily be replaced. It would be easier for the shepherd to stick with the 99 and forget about the one. The shepherd is concerned for the wellbeing of the lost sheep and doesn’t want it to suffer. We see the shepherd decide to do the dangerous thing and go rescue the lost sheep. He knows the other sheep will stick together and protect each other. The one in trouble is unable to rescue itself and will likely be torn apart by a predator. When the lost sheep is found, the shepherd rejoices with his neighbors.
What does that mean for us? It’s easy to be like the 99 sheep who stick together. We like hanging out with other Christians. It feels safer and maintaining those relationships is a lot less work. We view the same things as good and bad, can encourage each other, and protect each other from making mistakes. Those are actually good things and we should be spending time with people who will help us grow in our relationship with Jesus.
The problem is when we forget about the one. There are sheep in trouble, and if we want to be more like Jesus, we need to care about them. The reality is that there was a time when I was the one. People cared enough about me to tell me about Jesus. Sheep don’t rescue themselves and neither do people. They need someone to show them the way. Can you be a shepherd to that one? If you are, and the person responds to Jesus’ love, there will be rejoicing in heaven, like there was when you trusted Jesus.