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Nov 09, 2023 18:30pm

Seek the Lost

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A beloved pet was missing. Someone had accidentally left the gate open and the dog was gone. After days of searching, posting on social media, calling friends and neighbors, they began to give up hope.

Months went by and the occasional call or message would come in, “I think I saw your dog. Is this it?” But the picture didn’t look anything like it.

One day, the owner was outside, and saw this thin, matted dog limping up the driveway. For a second they didn’t recognize this animal. But as soon as they did, they ran to him, picked him up, and held him close. Tears of joy sprang up as they celebrated his return. Immediately, they filled the food bowl and added some canned food to the top.

But their other dog looked on.

Confused.

Immediately, he began to gather up all the toys and put them on his bed. He watched the other dog closely, protecting his things. He shunned his owners, retreated to his bed most days, and away from the dog who had returned.

He couldn’t quite understand why they would go to all that trouble and make such a fuss over a “bad dog” that ran away. But there they were, coddling this scrawny dog.

The little dog thought, “I’m a good boy. Why don’t they give me the good food on top? Why are they trying to give him my toys? I stayed faithful when he ran away, yet he receives the best treatment now that he has returned.”

Raising dogs, I can see the story unfold in my mind. How about you? Which dog does your heart go out to? If you’re a pet owner, you would be elated if your lost dog came home. And what if your other pets became bitter, angry at his return?

What if we were talking about people? How does that change the narrative in your mind?

Yesterday, we read the account of the son that took his inheritance, left home, and squandered all of it on worldly living. Eventually, it ran out and he was so desperate for food, he considered eating the slop he was feeding to the pigs. But he remembered his father and when he returned home, his father ran to meet him, putting his robe on him, his ring, hugging him, rejoicing over his return and ordering the best calf to be cooked.

Now we look at his brother’s reaction to his return.

Luke 15:25-30

“Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.”

If you were the brother, the one that stayed, the one that was “faithful”, the one that followed the rules, would you feel the same way?

I’ll admit, I would. The response comes up in my mind, “why him? And why not me? Don’t I deserve it?”

I’d feel like that little dog, hiding “my toys” on “my bed”.

But look at the father’s response.

Luke 15:31-32

“And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.”

Shouldn’t we rejoice?

This was a message targeted at the Pharisees. They resented that Jesus would spend His time going after sinners instead of congratulating them for “being good boys”, following the rules, and keeping order.

That’s not what Jesus came for.

He came to seek and save the lost.

And when one was found, a celebration occurred! Not just on earth, but in heaven.

And it made the Pharisees very angry.

While this is an account directed to them, it was written FOR us.

How often have we looked at someone with a sinful past and thought, “they say they’re a Christian? Ha! There is no way. I know what they’ve done. They aren’t fooling me.”

Or even still, we get angry when we aren’t celebrated but they are.

Shame on me.

Shame on us.

Let’s follow Jesus’ example and seek the lost, pour into them the truth and rejoice when they come home!