Lost and Found: A Cause to Celebrate

Have you ever lost your wallet? Your phone? It can be quite distressing realising that one’s place for keeping money, ID, photos, means of communication, etc. are nowhere to be found on one’s person. When one is reunited with their lost property after double-checking pockets or back-tracking, there is a tremendous sense of excitement and relief. This is because we value such things. The same principle applies in church.

           Can you remember when you first came to Christ? Perhaps you have had a relationship with Him since early childhood. Or maybe it was later on in your life’s journey. If the latter was the case, what happened around you? Did those around you in church finally let you into their club? Or did they celebrate?

            We all know the parable Christ gave us about the shepherd finding the lost sheep, but do we grasp what its meaning is? When He found the single lost sheep, He expressed not anger toward the sheep for wandering astray, but instead he immediately began to celebrate its safe return. God celebrates the rescue. Do we?  Or do we accept that our standard has finally (read that with rolling eyes) been met? Think how discouraging it could be to a brand new Christian that, as far as the church’s society is concerned, this momentous step in their lives is little more than getting accepted into the club…and they’d best start dressing the part.  Instead of waiting till the young man in the slightly vulgar tee-shirt is out of earshot (or so you think) to remark, “He wore that to church!?” make it clear to him how splendid it is that he was there, and encourage him to keep coming.

          

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10 quite nicely sums up Christ’s priorities on earth. Christ gives us a higher standard, but not an elite society.  He knew that His calling extended from the highest of the religious leaders to the lowest prostitutes and thieves. Remember how much we valued our wallet or phone in the first paragraph?  We celebrate finding such thhings because we value them. To fully and truly value something, the word 'value' needs to be synonymous with 'love'; do we 'value' new believers?  God’s priorities are rescuing and rejoicing in rescue.  What are our priorities?