The Lost Coin

Scripture: Luke 15:8-10

Song: The Love Of God

The parable of the lost coin was used by Jesus to admonish a supposedly religious people who had no compassion for sinners trying to reform their lives. In fact, they pointed their fingers and spoke in hushed, self-righteous tones about the past crimes of those who repented at the preaching of Jesus. There was no rejoicing, only suspicion. No commendations were offered only raised eyebrows and quips like, “We’ll wait and see.” You surely know one who recently repented. Possibly a new convert. Perhaps a restored saint. Maybe someone who has often made a path down the aisle. Perhaps they’ll make many more before it’s over with. To express gladness over their trying is not too much to offer is it?

We must not forget that we don’t stand in the shoes of the woman who lit the lamp and swept the floor, but in the place of her neighbors who heard news of her find. The saving of a sinner has cost us nothing. We’ve neither born the loss of their departure nor suffered the cost of their retrieval. Yet if God, bearing the expense of both, rejoices at their return, it is a small thing for those of us who are but spectators of God’s salvation to rejoice with Him. It also should not escape our attention that we were once the missing coin. Maybe our insensitivity at times to the sinner is the product of a our own insensitivity to the grace of God. God forbid.

Jason Moore