Does He forsake the 99?
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?” (NIV) Luke 15:4
Some interpret this passage to mean that the one lost sheep is more important than the ninety-nine. But that misrepresents the heart of the Shepherd. This parable is not about preference, but about pursuit. The Shepherd’s love is vast enough to care for the many and still go after the one.
The ninety-nine were not abandoned. They were secure, known, and provided for. As Psalm 23:1 reminds us: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” God’s watchful eye remains on those who stay in His fold. He feeds (John 6:35), leads (John 10:27), and restores them (Psalm 23:3). But when one drifts away, His grace stretches outward—not because the ninety-nine matter less, but because every soul matters equally (2 Peter 3:9).
A teacher once noticed a quiet student slipping into isolation. Though the rest of the class thrived, she took time to reach out. “Why do you notice me?” he asked. “Because you matter just as much,” she replied. The student returned, not because he was more loved, but because he was not forgotten.
The gift of salvation is not a competition - it’s an invitation. Each life, whether faithfully walking or wandering, is deeply valued. God’s ability to pursue one never weakens His commitment to the rest (Isaiah 40:11).
Let us never confuse the Shepherd’s reach for favoritism. He leaves the ninety-nine not in neglect, but in confidence: knowing they are safe while He rescues the one.
He never forgets the one who wandered, and He never stops watching the ones who stayed. His love is the gift that holds all at once.
God doesn’t count to find value - He values everyone He counts.(Matthew 10:30) .Thank you Lord.