Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
Luke 15:8 NIV
In Luke 15:8 Jesus highlights God’s deep concern for the lost. He actively searches for those who stray instead of remaining content with those who already believe. The woman in the parable represents God, and the lost coin symbolises a sinner who has wandered away. She refuses to accept the loss. She lights a candle, sweeps the house, and searches diligently until she finds the missing coin. Her relentless pursuit mirrors God’s unwavering commitment to bringing back those who have drifted away.
The Bible repeatedly shows God searching for the lost. In Genesis, after Adam and Eve sinned, God called out, “Where art thou?” He did not wait for them to return; He sought them out. In the story of Zacchaeus, Jesus declared, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” He did not avoid sinners; He pursued them. Likewise, in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the father watched for his son’s return and ran to embrace him. He did not wait indifferently; he longed for restoration.
Jesus challenges believers to seek the lost instead of focusing only on those who already follow Him. The woman in the parable does not say, “I still have nine coins, so I am fine.” She values each coin and refuses to give up. Likewise, Jesus does not stay among the religious elite; He goes after sinners and outcasts. He makes it clear that He prioritises the lost over those who believe they need no repentance.
If we follow Christ’s example, we must pursue those who have wandered away. The woman in the parable lights a candle to illuminate the darkness, sweeps away dust, and searches every corner until she finds the lost coin. She does not stop until she succeeds. In the same way, we must shine the light of Christ in dark places, remove obstacles that keep people from seeing the truth, and persistently reach out to those in need of salvation.
Furthermore, the Amplify translation shows that each coin is worth a day’s wage. This tells us that all the coins are equally valuable. Therefore, none is worth losing for any reason. Similarly, every soul is valuable to God; hence, Jesus died for all.
Luke 15:8 calls us to action. Heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents. Jesus does not focus on the ninety-nine who already believe; He seeks the one who is lost. If we only preach to those already in the church, we fail to embrace God’s mission. He desires that none should perish but that all should come to repentance. The question remains: Are you finding the lost, or are you staying with the found?