them.” So Jesus told them this parable:

“Who among you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, will not leave the ninety-
nine in the wilderness, and seek the lost one till he finds it? And finding it, will he not joyfully
carry it home on his shoulders? Then he will call his friends and neighbors together, and say,
‘Celebrate with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’ I tell you, in the same way, there will be
more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner, than over ninety-nine decent people,
who do not need to repent.

What woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one, will not light a lamp, and sweep the
house in a thorough search, till she finds the lost coin? And finding it, she will call her friends
and neighbors, and say, ‘Celebrate with me, for I have found the silver coin I lost!’ I tell you,
in the same way, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.”

Reflect:

For many people, Christianity is sheer madness. It does not make sense to see young men
and women giving up their lives to live for Christ and even to die for him. And they are right:
Christianity is sheer madness; one that results from a superabundance of love that God
shows for humanity. It is a madness that is an imitation of God’s own madness. Generally
speaking, which shepherd in his good sense would risk the ninety-nine to go in search of the
one lost? In human economics, it does not tally. Or, which woman may end up spending more
than what a silver coin might cost, in order to celebrate the finding of one coin? Whereas here
on earth we can’t wait to hang a criminal, heaven’s joy knows no bounds when a sinner
repents. It is this knowledge that makes Paul consider everything rubbish for the joy of finding
Christ – the madness of following him.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2022