Parable of the Lost Coin, Pt 3.
Today's Bible Reading: Luke 15:8-10
Supporting Passage: Psalm 139
Over the past few weeks, we've considered the context of the Lost Coin parable. Today, we'll start looking at the story itself. It's only three verses long, so let's take a moment to read it in its entirety:
Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, “Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.” In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents. (Luke 15:8–10, NLT)
The coin the woman loses is called a drachma in Greek. It was worth about a day's wages, so it is not an insignificant amount of money.
Of the three "Lost & Found" parables, this one is probably the most relatable. I'm guessing not many of us know what it's like to lose a sheep. (If you do, please let me know!) And while many people can relate to the father's heartache over the prodigal son, not everyone is a parent. But we all know the sinking feeling of losing something valuable, whether it's cash, a phone, or jewelry.
When I was around six years old, I lost a toy I loved. I can still picture it vividly in my mind. It was shaped like the letter M (the first letter of my name!). As you moved the parts around, the shape of the toy changed (similar to a transformer action figure). It was awesome!
Losing this toy made me experience my first existential crisis. I looked everywhere for it, but it was nowhere to be found. And my little six-year-old brain started imagining what it was like to be that toy. Was it sad? Was it lonely?
Does a toy still exist if it's lost?
(Yes, I was an overthinker even as a child...)
Losing something valuable is unsettling. In that moment, it becomes your most important possession. You search every corner of the house as onlookers say unhelpful things like, "It's got to be here somewhere..." (Or my go-to phrase: "Where was it the last time you saw it?") Your mind can't rest until you find it.
So, what does all this have to do with God?
Well, imagine God having that same uneasy feeling when you are lost.
Imagine God being unable to rest until you are found.
I know this might be hard to fathom. But that's what makes God's love so awesome!
Now, remember—this is a parable, and not every detail in a parable correlates to real life. We are never truly "lost" to God. He knows where we are at all times. Psalm 139 says, "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?" (v. 7)
And yet, God is grieved when we are not in relationship with him. He longs for each of us to know him and be known by him.
It's interesting... Humans may have more in common with lost coins than we realize.
The moment a coin is minted, it has value. It doesn't have to do a thing to earn it.
You know what else? A coin doesn't lose its value just because it's lost. A quarter is worth 25 cents, whether it's in my pocket or collecting dust under the couch.
Like a coin, we don't have to do a thing to earn our value. No matter how we feel about God—whether we love him, hate him, or don't know much about him—our value doesn't change. We are loved.
But...
A quarter wasn't created to collect dust under a couch. It was created to buy me some bubble gum at the candy store! And it can't fulfill that purpose until it is found.
In the same way, we can't live out our ultimate purpose until we are found. God has given us unique gifts, and we each have a role to play in his kingdom. If we choose not to participate, it doesn't diminish our value as humans. But there is a sense in which we miss out on what God has created us for. (We'll talk more about this responsibility in the next parable we explore.)
This is a crucial distinction. We don't serve the king to earn his love. We serve him because we are already loved.
The parable of the Lost Coin is a reminder of the intrinsic value every person has. God doesn't take anyone for granted. He delights in each of us because we were all created in his image.
That changes how we see ourselves.
It also changes how we see others.
When something valuable is lost, nothing else matters until you find it.
Next week, we'll consider the lengths Jesus goes to find us.
Questions to Ponder:
Think about the panic you felt the last time you lost something. Then think about the relief you felt when you found it. Can you imagine God having those same feelings about someone who doesn't know him?
How does knowing God values you change the way you see yourself?
In what ways are you tempted to measure the value of others? (i.e., Do you base a person's value on what they believe? How they look? Who or what they support? Etc.) How can you reframe your perspective to see their God-given value first and foremost?
—
If you enjoyed this devotional and would like to support my writing, you can buy me a sweet tea to keep me caffeinated. It would be much appreciated!