THE PARABLE OF THE LOST SILVER COIN

I jumped like crazy after I got the call. My close buddies jumped too, not as high but I believe it was contagious. The laughter on my face gave them relief after they had seen how desperate I was before. The stale drab college dorm room where we stayed turned into cheers of victory. I could also hear applause outside for us even though they knew not what we were doing. Some even knocked on our door as they went pass to see what had happened. Bet they wanted to share in our celebration. Or I guessed just to quiet us down.

Before that awesome call, I was looking dejected and empty. I almost lost it if not for Becky who lent her broad shoulders for my head and her Tee for my tears. She did not shun me like the rest. Becky even influenced some friends to console me. “Why? I cried without shame. “Why am I so careless?” That day, news spread about my case at the college and how people changed their perception of me. Everywhere I turned, I saw cheeky smiles and shaking of heads at me. How terrible? I already knew they could not understand how I felt. Except Becky, thank God.

Both Becky and I came from broken families. My parents’ divorce had taken its toll of me. Like most children of divorced family, I put the blame of their breakup on my attitude. I tried hard but still they gave up. My single mom gave me everything she could but most of all, she gave me assurance that I was not to blame for her predicament. That was a great relief for me. I felt lighter after that and made up my mind to take care of my mom someday. Perhaps someday take care of my dad too, if I could see him again.

Life was difficult for us as my mom had to sustain us with two jobs. At one point, I was contemplating coming out to work myself. My mom detested that idea and assured me of her support all the way to college. Everything turned up as planned until that awful day I lost a hundred-dollar note meant for part of my fees. Some friends were like, “Come on, grow up! It’s just 100 dollars!” But Becky knew what hard-earned money meant. Her mom worked as a nanny and she grew up staying in someone’s house all her life. Although the owners did not treat them bad, money was hard to come by. Thank God that her mom was able to save for Becky’s education in college.

With the help of Becky and my roommates, we searched frantically all over the college. When you lost something valuable, sometimes there would be hundred of places that popped up in your mind. After a long time and some weary faces of my friends, I called off the search party. As my friends went back to rest, I continued the search. “What would my mom think of me now? Oh mom, I let you down again?” Sweat and tears streamed down my tired face. It was a terrible feeling.

Head hanging low, I walked back to the dorm slowly. I whispered a faithless prayer, begging God to send his angels to find it for me. My three friends were in the room to console me when I opened the door. It was a well-rehearsed choice of words but it was better than nothing.

My world seemed to crumble apart until that phone rang. “Joanne, I picked up a 100-dollar note on my way to class and I thought it must be yours. I saw you and your friends searching everywhere for something. And…” Before this guy could finish, I trumpeted a high-pitched shout to my roommates. “Where did I lose that and thank you, thank you,” I blurted excitedly. “I would bring it over afterwards. I found it outside the lecturers’ office. Oh well, I thought I was lucky but anyway, it’s yours!”

Wild celebration erupted right after that. I could hear someone commented loudly, “Come on! Grow up! It’s just 100 dollars.”

The parable of the lost silver coin is only found in Luke 15:8-10. This parable Jesus adds on to the first one (the lost sheep) to get emphasis in regards to the mercy of God culminating in the parable of the Lost Son. The three parables back to back make reaching out to the poor and marginalised sinners, a major focus in the heart of Jesus!

It is as usual, sinners who have been marginalised and condemned by others will always have the soft spot in the heart of Jesus. Those lost souls wandering aimlessly, looking for God to just look at them with mercy. They know they will never get help from the religious elites. But Jesus stops for them. He has dinner in their houses and embraces them as friends.

One silver coin may not mean much for rich people but this poor woman saves up for her future. This silver coin may mean food or hunger. This silver coin may deliver medication for a sick member of the family. Or even part of the dowry for her future husband. She looks frantically everywhere, forgetting all the dust on the floor which sends flying all over the place as she sweeps and swipes.

Yes, a small silver coin is just a day’s wages during that time and when Jesus talks about it, many poor people know its value and importance. The rich will ignore and could not be bothered about the lost coin. That woman represents a God who knows the value of a soul, no matter how rotten or how nutty they may be. God looks into the heart and knows that all these people just need a loving acceptance touch of a Saviour. Just a genuine care by someone like Jesus, will impact them for eternity!

The greatest lesson from this parable is how God will stupendously search for the lost until He finds them! One soul is such significant to God and how heaven even rejoices for even one of these who comes and embraces the Creator!

Do we search out the lost or do we just shrug them off?

Next: The Parable of the Lost Son
http://psbible.blogspot.com/2011/01/parable-of-lost-silver-coin.html