Who’s Looking?

I love the stories that Jesus tells in Luke 15 about God looking so hard for the “lost sheep” and the “lost coin”. After searching and searching and finally finding them it all results in a huge celebration in heaven.

This amazing grace of God’s stirs the soul.

Usually I hear the story as a spectator cheering God on from the sideline. I find myself quietly proud of Jesus and the way he connects with “sinners and tax collectors” and helps them find peace with God and with themselves.

Sometimes I hear the stories and feel as though I am the one who has been ‘lost’ in a poetic kind of way and feel immensely grateful that God found me.

But then I return to ordinary life lived 24/7 and I find the stories hard to apply to real life situations. I mean, “Who are the lost?” The temptation is to think of drug addicts and dysfunctional street gangs, but when I do the stories become useless to me because they are not about the people I mix with. And let’s face it, if you put all the addicts and all the gangs of Melbourne together it would probably be less than 5% of the population!

Are the stories only useful for people who deal with that tiny tragic but precious minority?
I think not.

I think “lost” doesn’t refer merely to dysfunctional or wicked people. I think Jesus is referring to ordinary people trying to live life the way they want to. People who chase dreams, try to fulfil desires, and satisfy ‘needs’ and wake up one day in a life they never wanted or imagined. They have lost their bearings. They don’t recognise who they have become and feel alone in the very life they chose for themselves! There is a feeling of disconnectedness with the goodness of life which comes (as Jesus is suggesting) from being disconnected from God and his goodness.

That’s the sort of lostness that you and I can see all about us. It’s as common as loneliness and as visible as self interest. And sometimes it’s you and I that are feeling it.

And then God finds us again…
When God finds me it is like being lost at night in the car and you suddenly see a familiar landmark. To know who I am and that God has deep love for me and a purpose for me is his greatest gift.
That’s why I know for a fact that God has something to offer to the people around me. You don’t have to be dysfunctional to qualify; just an average ‘lost’ person is exactly who God is looking for.

But the part of the story that we often overlook is that God doesn’t want to go looking for the ‘lost’ on his own while you and I sit back as spectators. He needs a few people with a big heart like his to go looking and finding and chatting with the ‘lost’ ones. He needs your help or frankly they may never find their way back to their true Home.

If you’ve ever felt ‘lost’ before perhaps you will realise the importance of this searching that God does. If so, you might want to lend a hand to your ‘lost’ neighbour.

Who’s looking out for them? Who’s looking…?

Graeme