God's heart for the lost is unwavering

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off.  In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish." (Matthew 18:12-14, New International Version)

This is a beautiful passage that reveals God's heart for the lost and His unwavering desire to bring them back to Him. When Jesus speaks about leaving the 99 sheep to find the one that has gone astray, He emphasizes the immeasurable worth of every individual. If we take this teaching and apply it to our lives, it compels us to value and actively seek to protect and restore those who are vulnerable, marginalized, or in danger.

Soon we will be installing a Baby Box in Sandpoint. The box will allow a parent to safely and anonymously abandon their baby. My heart in having the Baby Box installed is that we can reflect this same love and care as Jesus to the babies that may be left in the box. It mirrors God's pursuit of the one, even when it seems impractical or statistically unlikely to affect many.

Practically, applying this scripture to our lives might look like:

• Advocating for the vulnerable: Like the Baby Box project, we can identify specific needs in our communities and take steps to address them, even if they seem small or insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

• Living with compassion: Developing a mindset that places the same worth on "the one" as God does — whether that’s the one child, the one neighbor, or the one friend in need.

• Taking risks for love: Just as the shepherd leaves the 99 to search for the one, we may need to step out of our comfort zones or face uncertainty to show God’s love in action.

Our obedience to God’s Word and what God has placed on our hearts is profound. Whether or not the Baby Box is frequently used, the very act of providing it demonstrates God's love and care. If it saves even one life, it will have been worth it — just as the shepherd rejoices over finding the one lost sheep. Our faithfulness to this calling is a testament to our sensitivity to His voice and our commitment to living out His love in tangible ways.

Janine Shepard is the executive director of Life Choices Pregnancy Center and pastor at large at Church of the Nazarene.