One Out of Ninety-Nine

In 2023, a blonde-haired woman with big ambitions and a million careers dominated the box office, introducing young girls, at its heart, to a world and reality in which they could, and should, have the opportunity to grow up to be anything they dreamed of being. 

Simultaneously, “Barbie” pumped out a recording song that would sweep the Billboard Charts: “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish. 

Much like Barbie, I, too, struggle with purpose. 

But unlike Barbie, I don’t have the liberty of testing out a million careers, or a million different life paths, to discover which one suits me best. 

But I do have something else. 

The Word of God. 

And what greater place to search for purpose than the book that tells us how to live fearfully and wonderfully in all aspects of our lives?

So, I turned to the book of Matthew and found what I was looking for. 

The final declaration of Matthew is known as The Great Commission.

It is an order, a summons, a call to action that so many of us let pass us by. 

But it is meaningful and purposeful. 

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

– Matthew 28:19-20

Matthew quotes the words of Jesus Christ, declaring before all who read His Word, exactly what our purpose is. 

It doesn’t get much simpler than that. 

Go and make disciples of all nations. 

In truth, I firmly believe that God places people in your life for a reason, and those who have been placed in your life may be seeking something only Jesus can provide. 

And Jesus wants to help them through you. 

Sadly, though, we often think of how we cannot help; because we’re more introverted, or not confident in our convictions, struggle with social anxiety, or have differing views than most of our peers. The list goes on and on. But whatever the reason, God knew who He was calling when He interwove the delicate threads of our lives to those around us.

Nothing, not even our self-doubt, self-deprecations, shortcomings, flaws, and faults, could separate us from the purpose that God has laid out. 

Trust me, running will get you nowhere. 

Because as we should pursue others, He so pursues us. 

In truth, a few months ago, when this topic struck me, I was eager to write about its inspiration: The Parable of the Lost Sheep.

Then, this sickening feeling sank in.

I realized I wasn’t quite ready to live out what I would have been writing; I wasn’t ready to relentlessly pursue the people in my life for Jesus Christ, to leave the ninety-nine for the one.

Luke 15, Jesus tells the Parable of the Lost Sheep, 

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

– Luke 15:3-7

I spent a lot of time praying and mulling over who in my life was my “one out of ninety-nine” 

And more than one person came to mind. 

But I felt like I wasn’t in a place to reach them. 

And so I continued to pray for courage and opportunity.

And things began to change.

And I began to feel more and more called to start showing them the love of Christ. 

I don’t mean thumping them over the head with a Bible or annoying them into coming to church, but showing them what love should look like in a biblical sense, being kind even when it’s hard, and relentlessly pursuing and going out of my way to make their day a little brighter.

Don’t get me wrong, some days it takes a tremendous amount of work to go out of my way to make someone else’s day a little better, but I have also known no greater fulfillment and sense of purpose than when I am doing what He has commissioned of me from the start. 

We should want to be used for Him. We should want to be a vessel for Kingdom work. We should want to be a light in the night, a light on a hill, a lighthouse in a storm. 

So, there’s a question today: Who is/are your one out of ninety-nines? Who, in your life, is there for a specific reason, that you could relentlessly pursue with love, care, and gentleness? Who in your life is desperately seeking answers only Jesus provides? What if another soul never tells them about Jesus Christ? Who should, or would, share the love and joy of Jesus Christ with them if not you?

“And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, Here am I; send me.” – Isaiah 6:8