The Ninety-Nine

A very common reference used among Christians is the scripture about a flock of 100 sheep where one goes astray.

Matthew 18: 12-14 NASB

Ninety-nine Plus One

¹² “What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?¹³ If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. ¹⁴ So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

The scripture inspires the thought that God seeks us, the one who has strayed, even at the risk of losing 99 others. This is an act of love; an example of just how much he loves each and every one of us.

For months now I haven’t been able to forget about the 99. As a committed follower of Christ, I am among the 99. I know where my flock is…where I should and shouldn’t go…what to say, what to do, my role in the flock. I have wondered where the value is in the 99. As one of the 99, am I just the reliable sheep that stays put? Sure, the shepherd probably appreciates me because I carry out his commands, but does he see me, or do I just blend in?

In the literal or abstract sense, the big flock is there for each other for protection. There is value in this just as there is value in the church body. Once someone decides to follow Christ they need other Christ followers in order to grow and flourish in their faith. If I were not part of the 99, they would be 98. My absence alone hurts the body…I am not easily replaced with another sheep when there were only 100 to start with. Why do you think the shepherd took off after the one? Each one cannot easily be replaced. It takes 99 individual sheep to make this statement work. There is value in each of the 99 because they make up this vast flock.

The above was my original thought about the 99. Sure, there is value but no one is sure of his significance unless he runs away, right? Humans have been after the feeling of significance forever. In fact, early in the same chapter in Matthew, the disciples themselves want to know who the greatest in heaven is. Jesus replies in the scripture by bringing a child front and center. Jesus teaches us that as significant as we want to be we instead must be like children. So then I ask, as the 99 or the one sheep, do we need to challenge our significance in the eyes of Jesus, or do we just trust Him and believe what He has said and done? I think we all know the answer to that.

Let’s think about sheep for a second too. Sheep are not always compliant animals. They don’t just behave because of their social nature. They like to be around other sheep, but they also have their limits. So, with this in mind, think about the scripture above again. For the shepherd to leave the 99 in search of one he is taking an enormous risk. A predator could come in and the flock would scatter. The flock of 99 could soon become 6 over here, and 15 over there.

Whether you are the one being pursued or the 99 caring for each other, the shepherd is taking a risk whether he stays or goes. Remember that he cares for each of us no matter where we are. When we believe but cannot feel His presence, maybe he is just chasing down another sheep while you learn to love your neighbor a little bit more. We are never actually alone. He still calls us His, and at one time He had to chase after us too.