Matthew 18:12-20: a reflection

12“What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray? 13If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 14Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. 15“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. 16But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector. 18Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 19Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”

Jesus tells a short parable about a shepherd with a hundred sheep, one of which wanders off. What does the shepherd do? He leaves the ninety-nine and goes to search for the one that has gone astray; and if he finds it, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never wandered. And Jesus draws out the meaning: even so, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. God's heart is set on the one who strays.

Notice the value God places on the one who has wandered. The shepherd does not write off the single lost sheep as a small loss among many; he leaves the ninety-nine to seek it, and rejoices greatly when he finds it. And this, Jesus says, is a picture of the Father's heart: he does not will that even one should perish. God's love is not merely for the crowd in general, but for each individual, including, especially, the one who has strayed and is in danger of being lost.

That reveals a God who seeks the straying, and rejoices to recover them. If you have wandered from God, drifted away, strayed from the fold, take heart: you are not written off as a small loss. God seeks the one who strays, and rejoices to find and restore them; his heart is set on your recovery. Do not think you have wandered too far to be sought, or that God has given up on you. He is the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to seek the one, and he rejoices over the one who is found. Return to the God who seeks you; and if you know others who have strayed, share his heart for the one, seeking and welcoming them back, for it is not the Father's will that even one should perish.

Lord Jesus, you told of the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to seek the one sheep that has wandered, and rejoices over it when he finds it, saying that it is not the will of your Father that one of these little ones should perish. Thank you for revealing a God who seeks the straying and rejoices to recover them. If I have wandered from you, drifted away, strayed from the fold, help me take heart: I am not written off as a small loss. You seek the one who strays, and rejoice to find and restore them; your heart is set on my recovery. Keep me from thinking I have wandered too far to be sought, or that you have given up on me. You are the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to seek the one. Help me return to you, who seek me; and where I know others who have strayed, help me share your heart for the one, seeking and welcoming them back, for it is not your will that even one should perish.