Posted on 17-Nov-2014
Written by Lance Corporal Hoshea Tiang Xuan Rong of 12th Kuala Lumpur Company 
October 22nd, 2014
This parable is about a man who has 100 sheep and loses one of them. Even though 1 sheep is a small number compared to 100, he still leaves the 99 sheep in the open-country and goes after the 1 sheep until he finds it. When he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulder and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and rejoices with them because he has found his lost sheep. Jesus then concludes his parable by saying there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent. In this parable, we learnt that everyone in this world is like the lost sheep, but when one sinner repents and find Jesus in their live just like the lost sheep is found, there will be joy and great celebration in heaven more than those who think they are not sinful and don’t need God in their lives. We also learnt that God loves everyone in the world, even if they are sinners.
The situation to be alone lost and disoriented without a sense of direction is one of the worst fears we can encounter. The scripture comforts us with the assurance that God will not rest until we find our way home to him. The scriptures use the image of a shepherd who cares for his sheep to describe what God is like. God promised that he would personally shepherd his people and lead them to safety (Isaiah 40:11). That is why God sent his only begotten son as the Messiah King who would not only restore peace and righteousness to the land, but who would also shepherd and care for his people with love and compassion. Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep (John 10:11).
This parable gives us a glimpse of the heart of a true shepherd, and the joy of a community reunited with its lost members. The shepherd's grief and anxiety is turned to joy when he finds the lost sheep and restores it to the fold. The shepherd searches until what he has lost is found. His persistence pays off.
As we apply this parable to our live in The Boys’ Brigade, as a leader, it is viable to prevent a member from feeling lost or losing interest in The Boys’ Brigade. If one of the Members is drifting away, we need to talk to him and tell him you are his friend that he can count on when he needs you. However, in doing this, do not neglect the other Members; only prioritise the one that needs to be taken care of. In other words, give your heart in taking care of the whole squad as a dedicated and caring Squad Leader – a team leader, and act reasonably to retrieve lost members.