The Daily: Monday September 15, 2025

Matthew 15:8-10 (NRSV, The Message)

"Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost."
Luke 15:10 (NRSV)

Have you ever lost something seemingly insignificant that sent you searching frantically? Jesus tells a parable about a woman who loses just one of her ten silver coins. Though she still has ninety percent of her money, she lights a lamp, sweeps the house, and searches carefully until she finds it. When she does, her joy is so overwhelming that she calls friends and neighbors to celebrate! This story reveals something profound about God's heart. In a world that often values only what seems significant or powerful, God treasures what others might overlook. The lost coin matters deeply to its owner, just as each person, creature, and element of creation matters to God. This divine perspective challenges our tendency to dismiss small things as unimportant. When we look at overwhelming problems like environmental degradation or social injustice, we might think our individual actions don't matter. But the parable of the lost coin reminds us that in God's economy, everything is connected and everything matters. The woman's diligent search also reveals God's relentless pursuit of restoration. God doesn't simply accept loss as inevitable but actively works toward recovery and wholeness. And when that restoration happens—when the lost is found—there is celebration. Today, consider what might seem 'lost' in your own life or community. What small but meaningful action could you take toward restoration? Remember that in God's eyes, these seemingly small efforts have immense value.

Reflection Question: What 'small' action toward healing or restoration have you dismissed as insignificant, and how might seeing it through God's eyes—as a valuable coin worth searching for—change your perspective?

Prayer: God who searches diligently for what is lost, thank you for valuing what the world overlooks. Help me to see through your eyes today—to recognize the worth of small actions and overlooked corners of creation. Guide me to participate in your work of finding what is lost and celebrating its recovery. May I never discount the power of one small step toward healing. Amen.