It is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. – Matthew 18:14
Lost people and animals occasionally find their own way home. Every so often, a heartwarming story hits your news feed highlighting an unlikely tale about a dog walking for months across hundreds of miles, or a lost child miraculously surviving alone in the forest but, by and large, lost people and things remain lost unless someone actively sets out to bring them home.
God, in His love for humankind, uses the picture of lost little ones to tell you something about Himself. He is passionately working to bring every person into His fold. Some people respond to God with equal passion, drawing close to Him and serving His Kingdom on Earth. Some ignore His call, while others may answer His call, yet do not stay near Him, tending to wander off from His care preferring to linger at the dangerous periphery of His estate.
The little ones referred to in today’s parable of the Lost Sheep are not rejectors of the faith found in other stories. They are immature and confused believers caught up in the lies of the world. It can be tempting to become frustrated with those proclaiming an understanding of the Truth of Christ yet behaving in contradictory ways to that knowledge. Your role, as a mature believer, is to show them the loving heart of the Savior, gently, kindly, and lovingly pointing them back to God.
Pray for God to heal the division in the American church body by unifying the hearts of His people in compassion, first toward each other, then into the world.
Today’s Verse: Matthew 18:14
So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Galatians 6:1-10
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.
6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
