All For One

One sheep. One coin. One son.

Each of these is a separate parable found in Luke 15. The first two parables, the sheep and the coin, teach us one lesson and the parable of the lost son teaches us yet another. Still these three parables are grouped together in one chapter. I love the similarities that these parable portraits paint and the hope that is fed to my spirit.

In the parable of the sheep we see that one out of the ninety-nine sheep is missing. He has left the open space the others were grazing in and had gotten off alone. The shepherd leaves the ninety-nine and goes and finds the one missing. Symbolic of the rejoicing in heaven over the repentance of one sinner.

Next, we see that a woman has 10 silver coins and loses one. She turns her house upside down until she finds it (I can relate to this one!). Again this is symbolic of the rejoicing in heaven over the repentance of one sinner.

Then there was one son who left....and a father who did not go after him.

I have to stop here and ask God why? Why would a shepherd go after a sheep and a woman after a coin and why wouldn't the father go after his son? After all, a child must be more important than a sheep or a coin. Yet the father stayed put.

Fathers are wise. He taught his son the way of the land and the importance of not wandering like every good father does. But this son choose to wander into a "distant land". I believe the difference is in the fact that perhaps that sheep was still remaining on the property owned and tended to by the shepherd, and the coin was still in the house of the owner.

This fathers only choice was to wait for the son to return for he knew that there were great lessons he would learn in that distant land if the father didn't chase after him and try to rescue him from his poor choice. Lessons of loosing everything and experiencing a famine so he would once again recognize that he had a need. Lessons of humility learned by feeding pigs and turning to walk home.

Lessons where the source of true provisions and love are once again restored. The lesson learned as he saw the father filled with compassion running toward him. All so that he could learn the symbolic beauty of forgiveness and of the celebration of coming back to life.

Three parables. All for the love of one.