Lost and Found

It was a scene that I’m glad was not captured on camera. There I was… lying face down on the floor of our kitchen yelling at my golden retriever not to walk in. I had dropped something. It was a very, very tiny little screw from a camera lens I was attempting to fix. Part of the lens had wiggled loose and the only way to tighten it was to take a small faceplate off the top. Beneath that faceplate was the screw that needed to be tightened. Easy job… except every part I was dealing with was exceptionally small and I happen to have tree stumps for fingers.

But, I had planned ahead. I knew the probability of dropping one of four tiny screws. I knew if I dropped it, I would lose it and these aren’t screws you can get at a hardware store. So, I put the lens in a box thinking that if a screw falls it would be contained and easily found. “Way to think ahead!” I thought smugly to myself. But disaster happened regardless. Three of four screws came out beautifully and were placed in a safe location. The fourth… well let’s say, had a mind of its own. On the final turn, the tip of the screw driver slipped sending the screw sailing into the air bouncing off the edge of box and then onto the counter. Then, as if in slow motion, I watched the tiny flash of metal fall to the floor and out of sight. The sound of the bounce on the floor told me this little screw was under our kitchen island. Muttering something unchristian, I slowly worked my way to the flattest possible position on the floor so I could search through the dust balls and popcorn shells hidden under the island. Gibson, our big hairy dog, interpreted this maneuver as an invitation to play, but his big, floppy feet were not going to be of any help.

I hate losing things. It’s a terrible feeling. My car keys, the remote control, and my wallet are at the top of my list of items that I hate to lose. But, we all know there are much more significant things in life that can be lost. We lose jobs, dreams, health, financial stability, and opportunities. And… we lose people. We lose them when they move away, when we have an unresolved conflict, or when someone dies. But there’s yet another type of loss—it’s when we are lost. We’re the tiny screw lost on a kitchen floor. This is much more than being lost in a strange city, but rather being lost, confused, or directionless in life. Even more, we have all been lost spiritually—separated from God because of our sin. I hate losing things. I hate being lost.

On that floor that day, a thought struck me. What if I could call someone who loved to look for lost things? Wouldn’t it be great if someone would just walk into my kitchen and say, “I’m here to find your lost screw. Move aside. I love finding lost stuff.” A bit ridiculous for my camera lens situation, I know. But, it’s not far-fetched for my spiritually lost condition. Listen to Jesus…

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19.10

Jesus made this comment on the heels of his interaction with Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector who had aggressively sought to see Jesus. The statement that Jesus makes after Zacchaeus makes an incredible turnaround in life seems to be a mission statement. It’s as if Jesus is saying, “If you are experiencing loss and even more, if you are lost, I’m here for you. I love finding and rescuing lost people.” That’s great news for anyone who has felt the pain of loss or being lost.

By the way, I did find that stupid little screw and when it was put back in its proper place, I had a little personal celebration. Did you know that when Jesus finds and rescues someone who is spiritually lost, all of heaven throws a party (Luke 15)? How cool is that?

This week's author- Phil Niekerk, senior small groups pastor