Just like you, every kid deserves to hear this truth.
“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?”
— Matthew 18:12 (NIV)
The 99. And the one.
There’s safety in numbers.
There’s power in numbers.
There’s justification in numbers.
Ninety-nine have been rescued. Ninety-nine! Does it still matter that there’s one? After all, 99% is an amazing recovery rate.
Would missing out on one really matter all that much?
It would if that one was you.
Consider some of the “ones” in Scripture:
· The frightened woman caught in adultery.
· The possessed man cutting himself with rocks.
· The gentile woman begging for the Master’s scraps.
· The Samaritan leper who returned to thank his Healer.
· The lonely woman at the well.
Every one of these mattered to Jesus, yet none of them are named. But Jesus knows their names. He went out of his way (sometimes literally) to ensure they knew they were seen, they were important, and they were loved.
The question is:
Do you see those around you this way?
And closer to home:
Do you see yourself this way?
You’re worthy of God’s extravagant love.
And, if you’re the Young Life team in San Diego, then the answer to both questions is a resounding “YES”!
Their “99” came in the form of three buses filled with campers and leaders. Everybody had climbed aboard and it was time for them to leave for a week at camp. Everybody but one, that is.
Their “one” came in the person of Maribel, a kid who’d spent the previous night packing for the trip, but was nervous now that it was actually time to go.
Her story is a devastating one of abandonment by her mother, who kicked her out of her home and practiced witchcraft. Maribel’s childhood was filled with homelessness, abuse, and a mom addicted to drugs. Finally, a family friend took Maribel in.
As the buses waited, the team sprang into action, with a couple of adults going to the house where Maribel stayed. Associate Regional Director Luma Haddad shares what happened next.
“When I arrived at the house, Maribel opened the door. Her eyes told of 16 years of anguish and pain. Beside her there stood a teenage boy, Jason. So I did what I normally do and asked him if he wanted to go to camp (last minute) too. He grabbed a backpack, stuffed it with some clothes and a towel, and was ready to go (with permission from his mom, Maribel’s guardian). Maribel gave me a little smile of relief that her friend could also come to camp with her. I took a picture of Maribel and Jason leaving their home that morning.
“I didn’t realize Maribel’s shirt said ‘99.’
“At camp, Maribel heard about the Good Shepherd who left the 99 sheep to go after the lost one. She learned this Shepherd saw and loved her even when her mom didn’t. And that’s when Maribel decided to follow Jesus. She learned the Good Shepherd saw her even when her mom didn’t see her, and he loved her even when her dad didn’t. She discovered the Good Shepherd had plans for her life and could turn her ashes into beauty.
“I wonder how many people have told Maribel they’re waiting for her? That she’s worth waiting for. That there is a God, named Jesus, the Good Shepherd who leaves the 99 for the one. And that she is that one. The Good Shepherd knows his sheep and offers them eternal life.
“Just like the Good Shepherd, Young Life leaders leave the three buses and we go knocking on the door of the one, who actually becomes two. And that’s how Jesus works in this ministry. He leaves us in awe and wonder of his plans.”
If you had three buses of kids ready to go to camp, would you leave them for just one camper who wasn’t there?
Reflecting on your own story:
1. Can you remember back to the time when you were “the one” the Savior was pursuing?
2. What was your life like back then? How were you feeling during this time?
– Lost?
– Scared?
– Unknown? Unseen? Unloved?
3. How does knowing Jesus pursued you inspire you to care for others?
4. Who is “the one” that God has placed in your life?
5. What small step can you take today to show this dear one that God sees them and loves them?
