sheep; if you had lost a piece of money; if you had had a child run
away from you, it would be far more pleasant to find that thing which
you had lost, than never to have lost it at all. You do not know
why. God tells you that it is a part of his image and likeness in
you; that you rejoice over what you have lost and found again,
because God rejoices over what he has lost and found again.

And is not this a gospel, and good news? Is it not good news that we
need never be afraid or ashamed to give way to our tenderness and
pity? for God does not think it beneath him to be tender and pitiful.
Is it not good news that we need never be afraid or ashamed to
forgive, to take back those who have neglected us, wronged us? for
God does not think it beneath him to do likewise. That we need never
show hardness, pride, sternness to our children when they do wrong,
but should win them by love and tenderness, caring for them all the
more, the less they care for themselves? for God does even so to us,
who have sinned against him far more than our children ever can sin
against us.

And is it not good news, again, that God does care for sinners, and
for all kinds and sorts of sinners? Some go wrong from mere
stupidity and ignorance, because they know no better; because they
really are not altogether accountable for their own doings. They are
like the silly sheep, who gets out over the fence of his own fancy:
and yet no reasonable man will be angry with the poor thing. It
knows no better. How many a poor young thing goes wandering away,
like that silly sheep, and having once lost its way, cannot get back
again, but wanders on further and further, till it lies down all
desperate, tired out, mired in the bogs, and torn about with thorns!