Lost Sheep & Coin

–Luke 15:1-10
Children typically have an understanding of lost and found. Parents have been there before when a favorite toy suddenly goes missing and our lives go upside down and all around until the missing toy is among the found again. Our text focuses upon two parables about seeking what is lost. The first is the shepherd who leaves his ninety-nine sheep to bring back the one that strayed away. The second is about a woman who exhaustively searches her entire home for a single lost coin. Both stories elaborate the importance of ministering to those who are among the lost in our society. Often times those who are lost are living on the fringes and we might feel uncomfortable reaching out to them for one reason or another. Jesus ate with the sinners and tax collectors to show that we are all deserving of God’s love. What are practices that you can do to show examples of this kind of extravagant love to show our children how to safely reach out to those in need?