Matthew 18:10-14
“Watch that you don’t treat a single one of these childlike believers arrogantly. You realize, don’t you, that their personal angels are constantly in touch with my Father in heaven?
“Look at it this way. If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders off, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine and go after the one? And if he finds it, doesn’t he make far more over it than over the ninety-nine who stay put? Your Father in heaven feels the same way. He doesn’t want to lose even one of these simple believers.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
In my opinion, there are few sitcoms on television today that are truly funny. Even fewer avoid tactics such as crude language and behavior, innuendo, and downright tackiness. But one of the “good guys” is ABC’s The Goldbergs. According to information about the show posted on ABC’s website*: “Before there were parenting blogs, trophies for showing up, and peanut allergies, there was a simpler time called the '80s. For geeky 11-year old Adam (Sean Giambrone) these were his wonder years and he faced them armed with a video camera to capture all the crazy. The Goldbergs are a loving family like any other, just with a lot more yelling.”
This show is based on the real life of Adam Goldberg, whose character “narrates” in a “Wonder Years” style (for those of you who remember that show!). Poor Adam has his share of woes. In a recent episode, he reminisced (not so fondly) about his days in gym class, when he was often the last person selected for team sports like kickball. In many ways, he was very much a lost, forgotten “sheep” to most everyone – except his mother, Beverly. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for her baby. She was willing to put herself on the line and look foolish – or “pull strings” and raise a ruckus to get the attention of people who knew people. She put her “skills” to work to get Adam a “Presidential pardon” from taking the President’s Physical fitness test, because he feared he could not do a pull-up!
Not to be outdone…Adam’s other family members – including his dad, brother, sister, and grandpa - had their own ways of protecting this baby brother. Ultimately, Adam was greatly loved and nurtured. Quite frankly, there are undertones amidst the humor of this wacky family story that the bonds run deep among all of them. I wouldn’t say they always operate with compassion…but at the end of the day, not one “sheep” goes untended.
Here’s how I see this scripture passage from Matthew 18 in relation to The Goldbergs. There are a lot of instances where we have an opportunity to “pick sides”… or to leave someone “out of the loop”. There are times when all of us have felt like an outsider…like we didn’t fit in – and frankly, nobody seemed to notice or care. But here’s the thing… Jesus cares…always.
“So why did He let me suffer through such embarrassment, abuse, pain, exile?” you may be asking. The simple answer is that I don’t know…except to say that I am confident that God never wastes an experience or an opportunity. More to the point, what are you doing with that experience? How are you using it in a positive manner now…maybe in helping someone through a similar situation or reaching out to others and sharing how God sustained you in a dark time?
Are you looking at other people with fresh eyes and making a point to find worth and value in each of them, so that not a single one is lost? Have you noticed that some of your friends, acquaintances, and fellow church members have drifted away…and to be honest, you don’t have a clue where they went or what happened to them?
Isn’t it time we started paying attention to each other? Isn’t it time we recognized when circumstances are allowing a “sheep” to wander or be pushed aside? Will we recognize the signs and obediently go after them? Are we willing to stick our necks out with “Bev Goldberg-style enthusiasm” and risk momentary discomfort or embarrassment for the welfare of even one of God’s children? Wouldn’t we want someone to come after us in a similar situation?
Stop and recognize how important you are to Jesus. Fully acknowledge and accept that He sacrificed EVERYTHING… for YOU! How can we consider for even a moment leaving another of God’s creatures behind…or ignoring their needs. Look around you…there’s a “sheep” somewhere in your circle who needs rescuing. Will you go after him/her? Don’t you think you should?
©2014 Debbie Robus
* http://abc.go.com/shows/the-goldbergs
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