I was leaving Cincinnati the other day and stopped to get a milk shake.

The only problem was that I couldn’t remember exactly where the ice cream store was. After 20 minutes of driving around I finally found it. Once inside I remembered how, a few years previous, I had driven around for 20 minutes trying to find the exact same ice cream store. I was lost, but had been found. Twice.

Sunday’s gospel reminds us of how much God rejoices when the lost are found. We think of the ways we get lost. We think of the ways communities get lost, and how even nations get lost.

And we think of Jesus’ job, and our job, which is to help the lost find their way.

Teachers, nurses, accountants, realtors, mechanics – nearly every profession involves some version of this. No matter who we are and what we do, we can help the lost.

My problem is that I am often so overwhelmed with finding my own way that I don’t pay as much attention to helping others as I should. This a perennial problem in our increasingly busy and independence-minded culture.

But that need not stop us from asking: how can we help ‘the lost’ – with math homework, relationship advice, or directions to Cleveland? In what ways has God uniquely equipped us to help ‘the lost?’

When we think about it we soon discover that not only are the lost all around us, but that have a lot to bring to the table. Also in doing so not only are we usually made glad, but according to the scriptures so is heaven.