Valued

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

3 So [Jesus] told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” Luke 15:1-7 

Generally speaking, refugees and immigrants have a lot of experience being overlooked. They are used to being treated as less valuable than citizens. It shouldn’t be that way, but so often it is. And if something happens to them, all too often nobody notices… or cares.

This makes me wonder about the way Jesus starts his story about the lost sheep. I mean, I suspect there are some people who would notice the missing sheep and decide to … just let it stay missing. Because they would think to themselves, “If I go looking for that sheep, these others might be lost, too. And it’s just a single sheep. I think I’ll just accept the loss.”

Clearly Jesus doesn’t agree with that point of view. To him, every human being is valuable—so valuable that he was willing to give up his life in order to rescue us and return us safely home to God. It doesn’t matter if we are rich or poor, immigrants or native born, used to being loved—or just the opposite. Jesus loves us dearly and gave himself for us. And now that he has risen from the dead, he continues to watch over us, care for us, and get us ready for his kingdom.

Dear Savior, thank you that you put such a high value on me and all people. I love you. Amen.

By Dr. Kari Vo