You are six years old at the mall with your mother and three other siblings, the sights the sounds, the smells are wonderful.  In the happiness of wonderment, you somehow get lost. The wonderment turns into fear, the happiness has become sadness for you are lost in plain sight.

For the mother a nightmare that has come true, her child is defenseless, scared, alone and lost.  Regardless of the cost, time, and effort you must find her before she is no longer lost in plain sight.  However, you have three other defenseless children to care for, what will happen to them as you search for your daughter.

In the parable of the Lost Sheep Luke 15:3-7 Jesus tells the story of a Sheppard who has lost a sheep.  Like the mother the Sheppard has other defenseless children to care for in the form of 99 other lambs. 

The Sheppard makes the decision to leave his flock to search for the lost lamb.  Some may argue with justification that one lost lamb is not worth endangering the flock.

However, God’s justification is that one lost sheep is worth the search, for a lost lamb impacts the flock.  Think of the cost to the flock when a young man is lost to a life of drugs.  Think of the cost to flock when a girl is lost to sex trafficking.  Think of the cost to flock when an older person is not given the respect, attention and care they need because they are viewed as a burden instead of being human.

The Sheppard found his lamb and the mother found her child, both rejoiced because their flocks were whole again.

Because God has called on each of us to search for and find the lost, especially when they are hidden in plain sight.