What’s Even Worse Than Being Lost?

Some years ago, my wife and I spent several days visiting various sites in New York City. Among them was the American Museum of Natural History, an amazing array of displays that could occupy one’s time for days. From dinosaur bones and other prehistoric fossils to presentations about astronomy, it’s a magnet for the scientifically minded.

 

We enjoyed what we saw, but after a while decided that if you’ve seen one old bone you’ve seen them all. So, we exited the museum and headed across the street to Central Park, 1.3 acres of nature sprawling in the midst of an incredible concrete jungle. We planned to walk about a bit then go back to our midtown Manhattan hotel. One problem: I forgot to bring Gladys Penelope Snodgrass (GPS) with us.

 

We were enjoying the trees and flowers, along with Central Park Lake, presuming that before long we’d come out the other side and head toward Times Square. But navigating our way around the park wasn’t as simple as it seemed – especially for one directionally challenged as I am. We were making great time but going nowhere fast. 

I tried to ask a couple of joggers if we were going the right way, but quickly learned native New Yorkers aren’t inclined to offer any kind of assistance to strangers, no matter how harmless they might appear. So, we kept walking for about an hour until we saw a busy street, thinking we’d finally found our way. Only problem was, right across the street was…the American Museum of Natural History. We’d basically been lost, walking around in a circle, but didn’t know it.

 

That moment confirmed for me one basic truth (besides my directional disorientation): The only thing worse than being lost is not knowing you’re lost. Wandering around the park, we thought we knew exactly where we were, but we didn’t. 

 

Sadly, this is the plight of many people today, whether they’re trying to find their way around sprawling acreage like New York’s famous park or negotiating the journey through everyday life. They’re lost – but don’t know they’re lost.

 

A friend who was a very effective personal evangelist talked about the challenge of taking the good news of Jesus Christ to people. “Sometimes people have to get lost before they realize their need to be saved.” 

 

Imagine of an ambulance arriving in front of your home. There it sits, lights flashing and siren blaring, and you’re wondering, “What’s it doing there? I don’t need an ambulance. I’m fine.” But what if, unbeknownst to you, a heart attack was just minutes away?

 

In Luke 15, Jesus told three parables about lost things: Lost sheep, with a frantic shepherd leaving 99 sheep in his flock to find one that had wandered away; a lost coin, whose owner swept her house until she found it; and probably the most memorable, a lost son. 

 

In the latter parable, commonly known as the “prodigal son,” a young fellow had tired of waiting for his wealthy dad to die. So, he asked for – actually, demanded that he receive – his inheritance in advance. Talk about ingratitude and disrespect!

 

If you recall the story, this younger of two sons “squandered his wealth in wild living” (Luke 15:13). Unfortunately for him, his reckless spending came to an end when dad’s money ran out. Oh, dear, what to do? About this time, a severe famine struck the country he was in, so Peter Prodigal latched onto a bright idea – he would hire himself out to feed pigs. Talk about a drastic change in social standing! He even envied the slop the hogs were eating. Do you think he was lost?

 

Finally, in despair the young man decided to swallow his pride – which probably required a massive gulp – and crawl back home. Maybe his father would be merciful enough to make him one of the hired men.

 

The parable has the happiest of endings, with the father spotting the wayward son from afar, running to him and welcoming him back into the family. It’s a wonderful story that represents how God in His mercy and grace is eager to save and restore every “prodigal” who recognizes his or her lostness and returns to Him in humility and repentance.

 

But as my friend said, we must come to a realization that we’re lost before we can understand how desperately we need to be saved. This applies to each one of us, as well as people we know who are wandering around the confused, chaotic world somehow unaware that they’re lost.

Then we can sing with gusto the words of the beloved hymn, “Amazing Grace” – “I once was lost, but now I’m found; was blind, but now I see.”