Once upon a time there was a woman who had ten valuable coins. These coins were very important to her. They were like a little treasure chest full of glitter and gold for her. Every day she counted the coins and was happy that they were all there.
One day, something terrible happened: one of the coins had disappeared! Oh dear! The woman was very excited and thought, “Where is my coin? I have to find them!”
So she lit a lamp so that it would be bright everywhere and began to search. She looked under every table and corner of the room. She swept the floor so that she didn’t miss a tiny place. Can you imagine how diligently she searched?
Finally, after a long search, she found the coin! She was so happy that her heart danced like little butterflies in her stomach. She immediately called her friends and neighbors and said: “Come, celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!”
Jesus told this story because he wanted to show people how much God rejoices when someone who was lost is found. Just as the woman rejoiced over her coin, God rejoices when we return to Him. Even when a person seems lost, God searches for him with all his heart.
Message of history
God loves us all very much. If we get lost, he looks for us and is very happy when we are found again.
Bible passage
The parable of the lost penny is found in Luke 15:8-10:
“Or what woman who has ten drachmas and loses one of them does not light a candle, sweep the house, and search diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma that I had lost.” Thus, I tell you, is joy before the angels of God over a sinner who repents.”
