messy lives—with compassion or with a judgmental, critical spirit? Why? The parable we are going to read is set in a context of three stories. First, Jesus tells us that a shepherd has lost one of his one hundred sheep. He goes to great lengths to find that lost sheep and when he finds it he rejoices greatly. Jesus then says, “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (Luke 15:7). In other words, God’s desire