多年前，我和父親一起去厄瓜多的亞馬遜地區旅行，我們搭乘一趟有趣的快艇之旅，前往一個小村莊，欣賞那裡的風光並認識當地的部落。當時，我親愛的父親買了幾樣手工飾品給我，包括一對耳環。我非常珍惜這副耳環，只會在特別的日子配戴，就像那次我去找妹妹陪我過生日。然而，當我回到家，卻驚覺掉了一個耳環，我焦急地四處尋找，翻遍家裡的每個角落。

雖然那只是一個耳環，但若要重新再買一個，就得千里迢迢地去亞馬遜雨林一趟。但令我訝異的是，我的妹妹回到為我慶生的那間餐廳，竟在失物招領處發現我丟失的耳環，這令我欣喜若狂！

耶穌講了一個比喻，提到一位婦人丟失了一枚銀幣。這位婦人沒有找到那枚寶貴的銀幣，根本無法安心。耶穌說，她「豈不點上燈，打掃屋子，細細地找，直到找著嗎？」（路加福音15章8節）當婦人找到那枚銀幣時，是何等歡樂！（9節）

耶穌講這個比喻是要顯明一件事，對上帝而言你我是何等寶貴。耶穌來，「是要尋找和拯救迷失的人」（19章10節，當代譯本修訂版）。儘管我們曾經迷失，但當我們被尋回的時候，天上也為此歡欣鼓舞！

When I visited Ecuador’s Amazon region with my father many years ago, we took a fun speedboat ride to a small village to take in the sights and learn about the local tribes. My dear dad bought me handmade jewelry, including a set of earrings. I only wore those earrings on special occasions, including when I went to visit my sister for my birthday. When I came back from my trip, I was horrified to discover I’d lost one of my earrings. I looked everywhere.

It was just an earring, but I’d have to travel all the way back to the Amazon jungle to replace it. Amazingly, when my sister returned to the restaurant we had visited for my birthday, she spotted my missing earring in their lost and found. I was overjoyed!

Jesus told a parable about a woman who’d lost her silver coin. She wouldn’t rest while her valuable coin was missing. “Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?” Jesus asked (Luke 15:8). And when she found her coin, she greatly rejoiced (v. 9).

Jesus told this story to demonstrate how precious we are to God. He “came to seek and to save” those who are lost (19:10). Although we were once lost, heaven rejoiced when we were found.