The Parable of the Lost Sheep is one of the teachings of Jesus found in the Gospels of Matthew (18:12–14) and Luke (15:3–7). Here's a summary of the parable and its significance:
Parable of the Lost Sheep
In the story, a shepherd has 100 sheep, but one of them goes missing. Instead of being content with the 99 sheep that remain safe, the shepherd leaves them in search of the one lost sheep. When he finds it, he rejoices greatly and celebrates the return of the lost sheep, emphasizing that every sheep is precious to him.
If we take the Parable of the Lost Sheep a step further, there’s a deeper message here. Let’s say the 100 sheep represent our wholeness, the completeness of our lives. We may have 99 “sheep”—all the good things: our blessings, achievements, successes, positive emotions. But then there’s that one sheep, that part of us that feels lost, disconnected, or wounded. It could be a part of us still carrying shame, abandonment, guilt, or rejection.
No matter how many good things we have going on, if a part of us is suffering in silence, we need to acknowledge it. We need to seek out that lost part of ourselves, bring it into the light, and heal it.
As Eckhart Tolle calls it, we all have a "pain body"—the unresolved wounds and past hurts we’ve never faced. And until we heal that part of us, no amount of success or positivity can truly make us feel whole.
The real question is: What in me is still hurting? What feels lost or in need of love and nurturing? What pain am I carrying that needs to be healed? Only when we face it can we truly become whole again.
This reminds me of a story I once read about the late Nelson Mandela, who, despite his remarkable achievements and global impact, had his own "lost sheep" to find. Imagine this: Mandela spent 27 years in prison, and during that time, he was isolated, oppressed, and unjustly treated. Most people would assume that when he was finally released, his freedom and the victory of ending apartheid would be enough to heal him completely. After all, he was celebrated as a hero, a symbol of resilience and triumph.
But Mandela was not just carrying the victory of liberation. He was carrying wounds from the past—pain from years of injustice, anger toward his oppressors, and perhaps even feelings of abandonment from his family during the decades of separation. Mandela could have chosen to move forward with his 99 “good sheep”—his success, his influence, and the admiration of millions. But he knew that there was a part of him that needed deeper healing: his pain body, as Eckhart Tolle would call it.
Instead of ignoring that part of himself, he sought reconciliation, both within himself and with the very people who had oppressed him. Mandela famously embraced forgiveness, reaching out to his former jailers and the leaders of apartheid. He even invited one of his prison guards to his presidential inauguration. To me, that act of forgiveness was Mandela finding his "lost sheep." He brought the pain, the anger, the feelings of injustice into the light and chose to heal them.
Mandela could have remained bitter, focusing only on his achievements and the 99 “good” parts of his life. But he realized that he couldn’t be fully whole, fully free, until he faced the part of him that was still carrying pain. By seeking that lost part of himself and nurturing it with forgiveness, he not only healed his own soul but set an example of wholeness for an entire nation.
It’s a powerful reminder for all of us. We can have success, love, and all the blessings in the world, but if there’s a part of us that feels disconnected—whether it’s hurt from the past, feelings of rejection, or shame—then we must turn our attention to that lost part. Only by bringing it into the light and healing it can we truly feel whole.
Mandela’s story asks us the same questions we should be asking ourselves:
What part of me is still wounded?
What pain have I been avoiding?
What part of me needs my love and attention?
Because true freedom, true wholeness, comes when we not only celebrate our blessings but also face the parts of us that need healing.
What do you think? Does Mandela’s story resonate with you? What parts of your life might be calling for that same attention and healing?
Love
Sumit
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