Think about this," said Jesus: "A man owns a hundred sheep. Every evening, he counts to see that his sheep have come in safely from the hills. But one night, he discovers a little lamb has wandered away and become lost in the dark. Well, do you think that just because this shepherd still has ninety-nine sheep, that he will forget about the one that is missing? No, he goes out into the dark and into the hills, and he searches for his lost lamb.
"The shepherd is overjoyed when he finds his little lamb! He's not thinking about the ninety-nine who are safe and sound. No, he rejoices over this little one that was in danger. And the shepherd carries that lamb upon his shoulders and takes it back to safety. The reason I tell you this story," explained Jesus, "is so you will understand how much your Father in heaven cares about you. He is like that shepherd, and He does not want one single little one to be lost!"
