More Precious than Money
When someone gives you money (maybe for your birthday or for some great accomplishment), isn’t that special to you? You treasure that money, and either save it up or spend it on something you really want. Money is precious to us. The story of the lost coin in Luke 15:8-10 tells about a woman who had 10 silver coins, one of which she lost. The 10 coins were Greek drachmas. Drachmas were silver coins, equivalent in value to the Roman denarii, with an owl, tortoise, or the head of Athena on them. Each one was worth about a day’s wage. Women would usually wear these coins as a decoration, in addition to using them to purchase things, which made the coins extra precious.
When the coin was lost, the woman lit a lamp, swept the floor, and searched the house from top to bottom until she found it. The houses of that time often did not have windows, so even searching in the daytime required the woman to light a lamp. When she found it, she brought her neighbors together to celebrate finding the lost coin.
This part of Luke 15 shows that God will search high and low until we return to Him, and that He is always looking for His “lost coins”—ready and willing to take them back. “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). We are so valuable to God that He sent His Son to die for our sins (John 3:16). Because of this, we should know that every single person is special and worthy of respect—even more precious than money!
REPRODUCTION & DISCLAIMERS: We are happy to grant permission for this article to be reproduced in part or in its entirety, as long as our stipulations are observed.
