Luke 15:3-7 NRSVue
3So he told them this parable: 4“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? 5And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. 6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.’ 7Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
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Some thoughts on this scripture
Reflection
This is not the sort of doctrine you learn in business schools. It sounds
outlandish, to abandon the well-behaved and spend your energies on the
outside chance of rescuing the delinquent 1%. Yet over the centuries these
words have inspired good Christians to plug the gaps in social systems, and
reach out to those who have drifted into isolation and despair. Common sense
urges us to spend ourselves on those who reward our efforts. Jesus worked in
another direction: /The healthy have no need of a doctor./