Finder of Lost Things

So I’m taking my son Tony to school late on Monday morning and I have his little sister Fiona with me.  The tardiness was intentional – we had late nights and early mornings this weekend and he really needed the extra sleep.  I knew his teacher would thank me.  Fiona, my pre-schooler, walks down the hallway with us to Tony’s kindergarten classroom and is carrying her show-and-tell toy; a small doll with matching cradle that has a small purple mobile hanging on it -very cute.  Once Tony is settled in his kindergarten class, Fiona and I walk back down the long hallway, out the door and into our car.  Then we drive to pick up one of her pre-school classmates before taking them both to pre-school.

Soon we are in the pre-school parking lot and the two giggly girls pile out of the car. Presently, Fiona cries out in distress, “Mommy! The mobile is gone!”  Yes, her sweet mobile hangs very loosely over the small toy cradle. It must have dropped off during our travels this morning. It is dainty plastic, lavender in color and is about the size of a quarter.  I tell my daughter with confidence, “Hey Sis, don’t worry. Mom will find it.”  After Fiona and friend are settled in their pre-school classroom, I walk back to my car murmuring to myself, “I can’t believe I’m going back to search for this tiny piece of plastic.”  But I smile because that is what moms do, especially this mom. You see, I’m The Finder of Lost Things.  My family has given me this nick name.  I remember digging through the big dumpster at Amigos in college because I accidentally threw my small clear plastic retainer away – I found it, in the dark.  That happened a few other times.  I’ve searched my neighborhood for my small, sly Rat Terrier appropriately named Fox.  Missing keys, trinkets, legos, tools, shoes, toys – you name it, my family knows I’ll find it.  My OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) helps tremendously when it comes to keeping track of inventory! Many times I’m more excited to find the “lost thing” than anybody else.  I want the set complete, all the pieces to the puzzle, and every penny accounted for in my ledger.  This OCD clearly has it’s benefits. But to go find an insignificant piece of plastic for my daughter is much more than OCD.  It is my daughters love for the plastic accessory that makes it valuable.

When ever I’m looking hard for something I always think of The Parable of the Lost Coin from Luke 15:8-10.

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one.  Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?”

I am that lady!

“And when she finds it she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’  In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Read Luke 15:1-7 to get an even better idea of what Jesus does when he finds someone who was wandering off.  He uses the example of a shepherd who leaves his whole flock to find the one sheep.  And oh the scolding that the shepherd gives the sheep once he finds him.  He smacks him with his staff all the way home. Then he makes an example of the sheep and shames him in front of the whole flock. Hey wait a second, that’s not how His story goes!  No just the opposite, the shepherd “joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.” Then he gathers everyone together to honor the found sheep.

Praise God that he seeks us out when we wander off.  Life can be hard on a lost sheep.  All sorts of danger is out there when we are not staying close to our Shepherd. He searches and even puts people in our path to guide us back. He puts up road blocks that will force us to turn around and take the way back home.  Though we may think, “I’m just one little coin, or just one of a hundred other sheep, who is going to notice me?” This attitude makes it really easy to go off the path.  Sometime we want to see what we can get away with. Sometimes we want to get lost.  But our Shepherd is a good parent who loves us too much to see us go the wrong way. He sees our value.  All of His effort to find us and bring us gently home is worth it – and everyone in heaven hears about it!

pray with me

Dear Lord, I am so glad you are my Shepherd. Thank you for finding me whenever I wander off from your leadership and protection.  Sometimes I do not think I am worth very much but clearly Your words in Luke 15 tell me that I am very valuable to You!  Please help me to look at myself through Your eyes.  Grant me the blessing of a repentant and steadfast heart when I do wander away.  And then bless my humble heart to hear the praises of heaven and feel Your smile upon my soul. Amen.

I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands. Psalm 119:176

Oh, I did find the small plastic accessory for Fiona.  It was in the hallway of Tony’s school.  Did you doubt my nick name!?