The 14th Week after Pentecost, 2022
Scriptures: 1 Timothy 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-10
Key Verse: “Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10
Have you found yourself lost? There are people who live their whole lives knowing exactly what they want or need. They don’t have second thoughts until reality wakes them up. The life of St. Paul is a splendid example. Paul’s background was a unique one being a Pharisee and persecuting Christians. Even though he only met the resurrected Jesus once, he credited his own discipleship as an example made by Jesus to those who would come to believe in Jesus for eternal life. Paul didn’t shy away from sharing his discipleship story as he wrote in 1 Timothy 1:15 that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners—of whom he is the greatest one. Isn’t our Bible a collection of faith stories including both faithful and unfaithful ones especially from the Old Testament?
I saw a documentary that a family filmed while they visited Utah’s Capitol Reef National Park on June 23 this year. My family enjoys spending time in nature; therefore, I often found such documentaries helpful so that I can learn from their experiences including their mistakes. What happened was that a predicted massive summer storm brought an inch of rain in an hour at Capitol Gorge. With the help from the rescuing team, this family got out of that sudden life-threatening flash flood.
At the end of the film, the father confessed that he didn't check the forecast and was glad that the rest of the tourists on that day were all rescued as well. After watching the film on YouTube, I read some comments. Many appreciated the posting; nonetheless, some posted negative comments on not checking the forecast and shaming the father. I wasn’t surprised to see such negative comments since it is quite common behavior seen on social media. Nonetheless, it made me reflect on the values and purposes of sharing our imperfection as a person of faith.
An article, Why It’s So Hard to Admit You’re Wrong, written by Paul Rogers, noted that it is unpleasant to admit our own mistakes; therefore, many refuse to apologize after a mistake because they had more self-esteem and felt more in control and powerful than those who apologize for being wrong. He mentioned that a study from Stanford researchers found that people are more capable of changing their behavior if they take responsibility for their mistakes. He concluded by saying that traits like honesty and humility make people more human and therefore more relatable. I applaud the family for posting the video and the father’s honesty and humility.
That was what St. Paul did, too. As he said himself in Acts 22, he believed his whole life was about being a good Jew, receiving the best education and religious instructions, and loving God dearly to the point of hunting down Jesus’ followers, arresting them and persecuting them. He didn’t know he was lost because that’s the way of life he knew. He didn’t have second thoughts until reality woke him up. One short conversation with Jesus turned his life upside down.
Jesus asked him, “Why do you persecute me?” That was the worst thing he could do to God whom he loved dearly. Then panic kicked in right after being blinded. He ate nothing and drank nothing for three days. Was there a moment of doubt in his belief? Probably! Did he think about the conversation he had with Jesus? Definitely. He was lost until Jesus found him. After his eyesight was restored, Paul began his missional journey by telling everyone his personal story, the lost and found. He wasn’t just Jesus' follower. He was a disciple carrying the cross and a great apostle spreading the Good News of Jesus that is for the lost.
Seeking the lost matters to Jesus. So, who are the lost? From Luke 15:1-10, the safe assumption is anyone who can relate to the tax collectors and sinners that the Pharisees and the scribes didn’t want to be associated with or hang out with. From the worldview of the New Testament, a sinner is anyone who has voluntarily violated the divine law and the 613 Jewish commandments. They are treated as religious outcasts. On the other hand, tax collectors are Jews but treated as traitors since they work for the Romans. Who likes to pay taxes to foreigners? No one! They are social outcasts! These two groups, social and religious outcasts, are the ones that Jesus spent time with.
Who are the social and religious outcasts in our time? Who can relate to them? Anyone holding a view that is against or different from the view of the majority and the one in power is an outcast. It’s quite easy for outcasts to feel the lack of belonging no matter where they go. Being outcasts religiously or socially can be voluntarily or involuntarily. For most of them, having a nurturing relationship with the majority or even with God is precious. Therefore, some choose to fight for human rights or for racial and ethnic discrimination. For some, there aren’t many options such as the unhoused and jobless communities. For some, giving up seems to be the only option, and hanging out with other outcasts is the way of life.
The two parables Jesus told about finding a lost sheep and a coin show us that he went to the outcasts instead of waiting for them to come to him. He befriended them instead of acting standoffish. As Dale Carnegie, an American writer and lecturer, said, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” Isn’t that how God works through the life of Jesus by coming to live among us and being interested in us?
How much is God interested in us? What would we normally do when we lose a relationship that is important to us? Would we try as hard as we can to reconcile with that person? If it takes our pride, would we do it anyway? If saving our own face is more important, giving it up and coping with the end of the relationship seem to be a better choice. Oh, well! That's the human way of treating every relationship, isn’t it?
God has gone far, extremely far, to save every relationship through Jesus Christ. Yes, many relationships that God has with humankind have been found, but many relationships have been lost and forgotten. Through the cross, God is declaring to the world a clear message as loud as God can. God said, “I forgive you for I love you. I will keep looking for the lost until the last one is found.” That’s why seeking the lost matters to Jesus.
Let us seek the lost, be interested in them, spend time with them, and tell them how much God loves them just like Jesus did. God welcomes all sinners who have confessed their own imperfection. Because of our confession, we can position and posture ourselves better as we carry the cross that shows our humility and honesty and become relatable to the lost. Let God rekindle our lives in Christ so that our discipleship can be an example to those who would come to believe in Jesus for eternal life. Amen.
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