Someone stole my chickens!

     Last night while I was gone from home someone stole 3 of my 8 chickens.  It wasn't a predator as there were no predator signs.  That left human action as the likely culprit.  What has this to do with the Christian walk?  Everything.  We all want to feel safe and secure where we are.  Whether that be an apartment in a high rise that recently burned in England or the 3 acres I live on as well as everything in between.  Who stole my chickens?  I don't know and probably won't ever know.  It means 3 less eggs a day.  I can handle that.  But the envelope of security has been ripped open and my vulnerability and my chicken's vulnerability is damaged.  We also want, as people, to have back what has been taken.  Jesus told the parable of the 100 sheep.  Remember it?  The 99 were where they were supposed to be while one was lost.  Whether that "lost" was intentional or not isn't important.  They were lost to their owner.  Likewise I looked for my 3 chickens but unlike Jesus, I wasn't able to find them.  Unlike Jesus I have to admit loss and go on.  Jesus seeks me every time I wander away and brings me back to the flock.  No pun intended.
     The amount of searching we do for something we have lost or has been taken from us determines the degree of responsibility we feel for what is ours.  Three chickens are definitely not high on my importance list.  I can go on craigslist and pick up three anytime I want.  Those human beings who are in my life hold much greater importance to me.  Those who are lost are of great importance to me.  Again, chickens, not so much.  It was once said that only those who have been hurt deeply are able to love deeply.  The hurt results in greater compassion and the following action we take.  It's no different with our relationship with Jesus.  He came from heaven, lived amongst us, proclaimed salvation for all who believed, was persecuted by many before being arrested on false charges only to be found guilty, killed and buried.  But the story doesn't stop there!  He rose again so that we could all resurrect as well.  He died for all of us lost sheep and lives for us as well.  Some seek Jesus and others don't.  But it isn't he who was lost.
     I think that Christians have changed over the ages to where the seeking is no longer a top priority.  There isn't that "investment" in their relationship to feel any urgency to look for the lost.  The lost may be living in your house.  Why is that?  There is the assumption problem.  Christians generally don't take the responsibility to seen the lost because they think it's someone else's job.  That's certainly not true.  Sometimes they don't do the seeking for fear of offending someone.  Then there are those who call themselves Christian and they simply just don't care.  Would you and I drop everything to seek the lost?  I would hope so.  It means leaving everyone and everything that has already been found for those who are lost.  That mean everything.  Should we keep on foot in the world and the other for Jesus; it's like an anchor keeping Jesus from living through us.  I probably won't spend a lot of time trying to figure out the chicken mess.  I will spend the rest of my life on earth seeking those who are lost.  Remember, it's always your choice.