06. The Story That Reveals Your Worth

The Power of Stories — Series

Story: The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:1–7)

Every person longs to know they matter.

Some search for significance through success.

Others through relationships.

Some spend their entire lives wondering if anyone would even notice if they disappeared.

Jesus told a story that answers those questions forever.

A shepherd owned one hundred sheep.

When one wandered away, he didn't shrug his shoulders and say, "At least I still have ninety-nine."

He went looking.

He searched until he found it.

Then he lifted the sheep onto his shoulders with joy and carried it home.

That story tells us something remarkable about God.

God doesn't simply love humanity.

He loves people.

Individually.

Personally.

Intentionally.

He knows your name.

He knows your story.

He knows your wounds.

He knows every tear you've cried and every fear you've hidden.

The Shepherd notices when even one sheep is missing.

Many people believe God only notices the strong.

The successful.

The spiritual.

Jesus says the opposite.

He notices the one who wandered.

The one everyone else overlooked.

The one who feels forgotten.

The one convinced they don't matter anymore.

This story also reminds believers how we should see people.

Crowds are made up of individuals.

Movements grow one person at a time.

The person everyone else overlooks may become the next disciple-maker God uses to reach an entire community.

No one is insignificant in the Kingdom of God.

If God searches for one lost sheep, we should never overlook one lost person.

Carry this story with you.

Someone you meet this week may desperately need to know that they have not been forgotten.

They are worth searching for.

Because they are deeply loved by the Shepherd.

Key Question: Who around you needs to hear that they matter to God?

Want to go deeper in disciple-making? Join Terry's Zúme training class at zume.training/join-a-training.