What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
It’s easy to find reasons to forget about the one who goes astray. I think about the many faces that I have seen over the years who have walked in and out of churches. Many of those faces represented names that I will never know. Why don’t we go after these sheep? I have to confess, of the many people I’ve seen come through large churches that I have been a apart of, I didn’t think much if I didn’t see a face again simply because there were so many people. I am wrestling with the fact that I might should have taken more concern or a different approach. Here are a few reasons we don’t go after the lost sheep:
“They are adults and made their decision. I have to respect that.” - Boundaries are good and healthy, and rest assured, we cannot make decisions for others. We can, however, reach out to the one who went astray to see how they are doing and to see if they are hurt or in need.* Boundaries are intended to promote health and recognize personal responsibility; they are not intended to serve as hedges to hide behind to avoid responsibility.
“Look at all of these other people who need me.” - The great mystery of this passage is that Jesus would leave 99 other sheep in the mountains (where there presumably are predators and perilous cliffs) to find the one that chose to go astray. Historical evidence tells us that in situations like this, actual shepherds of sheep would do this very thing, but they would leave their sheep in the care of another shepherd while they looked.* What does this mean for us? The sheep don’t need you. The sheep need care. We must leave the sheep with someone who cares while we care for the one who went astray.
“We still have 99 sheep.” - Jesus cares for the little ones as God cares for the little ones. The little ones, according to the context of this passage, are the lowly, humble ones. Occasionally, these are ones who have gone astray. They matter to Jesus just as you and I matter to Jesus. We have to go after them in order to follow the lead of our Lord Jesus.
Maybe today you are reading this and thinking, “I was the lost sheep, and no one went after me.” Hear this my friend: Jesus, The Good Shepherd, has been in the hills, valleys, and mountains looking for you. I humbly have to say that perhaps today He sent me to help find you and bring you back to Him and His sheepfold. I am not perfect, and I have failed the sheep and I have failed Jesus, but here I am today.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to respond to this devotional (I’m available: benjamin.gilmore@northgatepeople.com) because you have been the lost sheep. Perhaps God wants you to reach out to a lost sheep that you haven’t heard from in a while. Maybe God wants you to wear a new set of eyes with a new heart to see the lost sheep as they wander and act appropriately when you do.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a step today… just one is fine.
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*Leon, Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew. Pillar New Testament Commentary (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1992), 464–466, and Keener, C. S., Matthew (Vol. 1, Mt 18:10–14) (InterVarsity Press, 1997).