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The Lost Calf

¹ One day Jesus was talkin' to a bunch of tax collectors and outcasts. ² The religious know-it-alls and teachers of Moses's code started complaining, "This man would rather hang out with lowlifes than good folk!"

³ So Jesus said, ⁴ "If a cowboy has a hundred head of cattle and one calf goes missing, what would he do? Wouldn't he leave the ninety-nine and go find the one that was lost? ⁵ And when he finds it, won't he pull it up into the saddle with him and carry it home? ⁶ When he gets home, he will tell all the other cowboys that he found it and everyone will be relieved and glad. ⁷ In the same way, there is more happiness in heaven about the Top Hand bringing in one stray than there is about the ninety-nine that were already there.

The Lost Coin

⁸ "Or suppose a lady only had ten silver coins to her name, and she lost one. Wouldn't she search all over the house until she found it? Wouldn't she continue to look until it was found? ⁹ Then when she found it, she would tell all her family that she'd found it and they would celebrate with her. ¹⁰ In the same way, there is happiness in heaven when one that is lost is found."

The Lost Son

¹¹ Jesus continued with his examples, "Suppose a rancher had two sons. ¹² The younger cowboy told his dad, 'Give me my share of the ranch now. I don't want to wait around for you to die.' The rancher did as the son asked and gave him what his half was worth. ¹³ A few days later, the son saddled up and left the ranch and moved to town. He spent all his money on booze, drugs, and wild women. ¹⁴ About the time all his money ran out, a depression hit the country, and there were no jobs or food to be found. ¹⁵ The young cowboy persuaded a farmer to let him take care of his pigs. ¹⁶ The boy was so hungry that even the pig's food looked appetizing because he was starving to death. ¹⁷ Finally, the young cowboy came to his senses, and he said to himself, 'All my dad's workers have more than they can even eat and here I am starving to death. ¹⁸ I'll show up and say, 'Dad, I've made a terrible mistake. I messed up my life and my relationship with you! ¹⁹ I'm not worthy to be called your son, but would you hire me on as a worker?'

²⁰ "So the boy headed for home, and while he was still a long way off, his dad spotted him walking up the road. His dad was nothing but relieved and happy at the sight of his boy coming back. He bolted out of the house and ran toward his son. The dad wrapped him in his arms and kissed him on his cheek. ²¹ The boy said, 'Dad, I have sinned against heaven and you. I'm unfit to be called your boy.'

²² "But the dad hollered to the cowboys who were working near the barn, 'Hey! Someone grab my best coat out of the house and put it on my son. Get a ring for his finger and boots for his feet. ²³ Butcher the grain-fed steer and get ready for a party. ²⁴ We are going to celebrate the return of my son to the ranch. He was once dead to us, but now he has returned to life! He was lost, but now he has been found!' Everyone started getting ready for the celebration to begin.

²⁵ "In the meantime, the older son was out in the pastures doctoring yearlings. When he got back to the house, there was music and dancing in the barn. ²⁶ He stopped his horse and asked one of the other cowboys what was going on. ²⁷ 'Your brother has returned,' he said, 'and your dad has butchered the grain-fed steer and we are all celebrating his return.'

²⁸ "The older brother was angrier than a mad momma cow. He refused to join the celebration. The father came out to talk him into coming in, but he said, ²⁹ 'I've worked for you all my life. I've done everything you've ever asked of me. Not one single time have you ever even given me a goat to BBQ with my friends. ³⁰ But let this whelp disrespect you, take all your money and spend it on whores, and you celebrate his return by killing and eating the grain-fed calf—that I've been feeding!'

³¹ "His dad looked at him kindly and said, 'Son, listen to me. I didn't give you any of that because they were already yours. You didn't have to ask me. Everything I have is yours. ³² But this day is a cause for celebration. Your brother was dead in his sins, and now he has come back to life! He was lost, but he has been found.'"