It was the ugliest dog I had ever seen—a one-eyed pug. My daughter found it on the side of the road believing it had been hit. The dog was missing one eye and had a cataract on the other. It was dirty, smelly, and malnourished.

If ever there was a dog that didn’t seem to be worth much, this was the dog. Nevertheless, my daughter went on a mission to care for the dog and reunite it with its owner. Her journey took her to the Humane Society, pet stores, and walks around the neighborhood to see if anyone recognized it. In time she ran across a “wanted” poster of a missing one-eyed pug. The owner was contacted, the dog’s identity was confirmed, and an emotional family reunion occurred with tears and hugs of appreciation. The dog’s owner had spent the last two weeks frantically searching for this treasured dog and was losing hope.

If we’re honest, we’ll admit we’re all like this one-eyed pug. Sin has caused us to wander. While many of us have been found and brought safely home, many more are still lost. Those who are found are indebted to search for those who are lost. If we would take the time to notice, we’d see the lost around us. But seeing isn’t enough. We must respond. We must be willing to be inconvenienced and believe that everyone matters. It takes effort, courage, and faith to step out.

Paul and Barnabas were set apart and sent out to proclaim the gospel. As a result, the miraculous happened, the hurting were healed, and the lost were found. Their compassion was contagious and couldn’t be contained. What started with a few exploded and changed the world forever.