While sitting at a stoplight recently, I noticed a man jump out of his car, cross the bustling street, and climb through the overgrown brush at the side of the road. He was carrying a stack of papers and a stapler. As he stapled one of the pieces to a wooden electrical pole, I caught a clearer glimpse. It was a flyer with a photo of a small, black and white dog, with a headline: "Lost dog. Her name is Lucy. Please call if you see her anytime, day or night."
The man proceeded to walk down the road to put his flyers on numerous poles, obviously wanting to be sure it was seen so that others could help him in the search. I could sense his desperation and thought about how he must be feeling. Considering the traffic, if Lucy should be found on this particular road, it might not be under the best circumstances. Still, the man had hope that someone could help him find her. When you love someone or something that goes missing, the searching doesn't end until they are safe. Life is never quite the same when your loved one is lost. Only when they return can one truly experience the joys of life fully. I’ve been keeping my eyes open for Lucy ever since. Even though I don’t know her, I can’t seem to rest wondering where she might be.
Jesus describes the way God similarly searches for those of us who have lost our way in the Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:1-7). When Jesus is asked why he's hanging out with sinners, he explains how sad God is when any of his children wander astray. God doesn't shake His head in disgust when his children travel far off the moral highway. Instead, the one lost soul is so important to him that he leaves ninety-nine others behind to search for the one.
So many people have lost loved ones. When someone becomes addicted, even if they are still alive, their souls have drifted far away from others and God. They are lost. Many ask in disgust (as they did of Jesus), "why bother with these people?" but the answer has already been given to us. Jesus explained the way that God aches for the return of every single beautiful soul that he created and how He rejoices when each one is found.
Watching the man in search of his lost dog, I could imagine God climbing through overgrown brush calling each lost soul by name (Isaiah 43:1). I could sense his sadness and desperation. I could hear Him reminding us that He never loses hope but searches unceasingly. Like the man posting flyers to raise awareness and gain assistance, God asks each one of us to help Him in this search for souls. He reminds us that we can call Him anytime, day or night to plead, "God, call them by name. Let them hear your voice" Then when the lost souls are found, God will call us together and say, "Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep" (Luke 15:7).
Read more reflections in When on Earth: Discovering Christian Spirituality in the Daily Happenings of Ordinary Life.