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The Parable of the Lost Coin -- Instructions for the mundane tasks of Life We read the Bible, including the Gospels, for insight into the Kingdom. And many of the Scriptures pertain to daily life. But the parable that I enjoy most for instructing us in daily life is the parable of the Lost Coin. Luke 15:8-10 Story of the Lost Coin Suppose a person has ten valuable silver coins and loses one. Won't he light a lamp and look in every corner of the house and sweep every nook and cranny until he finds it? And when he finds it, he will call in his friends and neighbors to rejoice with him because he has found his lost coin. In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents. Easily this parable contains a Kingdom message. But we tend to overlook the mundane, but most useful, daily life advice it provides. My wife, Jen, has come to me on many occasions asking if I have seen something she has lost and cannot find it. And by now she knows the response I will give if I haven't seen what she is looking for--"We need to start sweeping." That phrase is meant literally as well as figuratively. Let us look at how & why we lose things--or why things come up missing. • We have an abundance of things, so much so that we cannot keep track of all we have • We can replace easily what we have, so we do not steward well what we have • Others want what we have, so they take without asking Let's address having an abundance of things, so much so that we cannot keep track of all we have. I know for a fact that in my house, were I to tidy up it, I would find at least six tape measures. Amusingly, were I to look in my toolbox, I would not find one single tape measure. But on the shelves and drawers in my house I am bound to find them. Just don't ask me to lay my hands on one right now. I couldn't tell you what shelves and drawers a tape measure can be found in. That leads me to being able to replace easily what I have, and as a result I do not steward well what I have. I really only need one tape measure. And were I to return it to the toolbox, I could find it whenever I need it. Interesting isn't it, that I have at least six tape measures but I don't use any one of them well. Continuing--I am sure that I have lost a few tape measures to others who see that either I have more than I need or to others who see that I leave them lying about carelessly. So to this person, it appears that I have abandoned the tape measure they find. And the person thinks, "He won't miss this" or, "Serves him right that I should take it since he can't look after what he has." I am not excusing his behavior, but I understand it. Many of us have a "Use it or lose it" philosophy. In some regards, I believe God has this philosophy--If we do not use what is given us, he will take it back and give it to someone else. Let's look back at the physical act of sweeping. How often when we sweep do we find other things that we have been looking for or things we didn't realize have become placed there. Isn't it good we were looking for something to have come across this also. Consider what happens when we move from one home into another. If we do it well, we organize and pack what we have and we discard those things that should not be carried forth into our new abode. This is a great opportunity to tidy up our life. And often, we go out and get new things for the home because some of the old things will not fit or are not appropriate for the new home. Let's pause and moment and reflect on what I am saying. If you having been reading what I've been writing with not only an eye toward what we physically do when we clean and move, but also with an eye toward spiritual cleaning and tidying, you can see the deep meaning behind this parable. Look at the parable again. It is only three verses. For my purposes, I am only concerned with the lost coin and the cleaning, which is technically only one verse, Luke 15:8. "Suppose a person has ten valuable silver coins and loses one. Won't he light a lamp and look in every corner of the house and sweep every nook and cranny until he finds it?" Yet those few words have drawn forth from me this much analysis. Such is the power of a parable. They have so many facets and we can spend the rest of our lives going back over the same Scripture time and time again and gleaning new meaning and application. If I may digress for a moment--for a discussion on finding meaning in Scripture, see my page The fable that should be nominated as an honorary parable "The Farmer and his sons:" A reflection on how to interpret Scripture. Returning now to this discussion. When you cannot find something, it is a signal to get your affairs into order. Be it a tangle item or a spiritual need, Christ tells us to start cleaning & tidying from the corners out. And do so with light. We cannot find things well in the dark. For when we are spiritually lost, Christ is the light. Reflect upon this parable well. Christ does a great job of answering our questions. For those times when we lose something and seek to find it, ask your self--What would Jesus do? Or better stated--What has Christ told us to do? Start cleaning. As you read Scripture look into several meanings. Determine the Kingdom message that is given. But also determine the practical and mundane application for here on earth for daily living. It is amazing to me how Kingdom messages also carry daily mundane applications. |