Years ago, I had the opportunity to work at Camp Wesley Woods. During the school year, I was part of the camp’s environmental education program. Schools would bring students for outdoor learning experiences, and my job was to lead groups on hikes and nature explorations.
One lesson every group leader learns quickly is this: you count children constantly.
You count before you leave. You count when you reach the trailhead. You count every time you stop. You count again when you arrive at your destination.
Why? Because it isn’t enough to know where you’re going. You want to make sure no one has been left behind.
You count because every child matters.
That simple practice has stayed with me over the years because it reflects something much deeper about the way God sees people. Scripture consistently reminds us that we are never just faces in a crowd. Every person is known, loved, and valued by God.
The Shepherd Who Knows Us
Jesus describes that kind of care in one of the most comforting images found in Scripture:
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.” (John 10:14, NRSVUE)
Those words speak to one of the deepest longings of the human heart: the desire to be truly known.
Our world offers countless ways to stay connected, yet many people still experience profound loneliness. People may know our names, see our social media posts, or recognize our faces, but very few truly know our fears, our hopes, our struggles, and our dreams.
Jesus does.
The Good Shepherd knows every part of our story—and still calls us by name.
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus demonstrates this personal love again and again. He notices those others overlook. He welcomes children (Mark 10:13-16). He eats with people society rejects (Luke 19:1-10). He seeks the one who has wandered away, telling the story of a shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep to search for the one that is lost (Luke 15:3-7).
The message is unmistakable:
Everyone matters to God.
Love That Stays
Jesus goes even further when He says,
“The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)
Ancient shepherds risked their lives protecting their flocks, but Jesus points to an even greater sacrifice. Unlike a hired hand who runs away when danger comes, the Good Shepherd stays.
Those words find their fullest meaning at the cross.
Jesus does not abandon humanity in its brokenness. Instead, God enters into our suffering, bears our sin, and offers redemption through self-giving love.
Romans 5:8 reminds us,
“But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.”
The love of Christ is not conditional. It doesn’t depend on our success, our goodness, or our ability to earn it.
It simply stays.
Resurrection Begins Now
A few chapters later in John’s Gospel, Jesus stands outside the tomb of His friend Lazarus. Martha is grieving the loss of her brother, convinced that hope has already slipped away.
It is there—in the middle of sorrow—that Jesus makes one of Scripture’s greatest declarations:
“I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live.” (John 11:25)
Many people think of resurrection only as something that happens after death. Certainly, Jesus promises eternal life. That is the foundation of Christian hope.
But notice when Jesus speaks these words.
Not after everything has been fixed.
Not after the miracle.
Before.
In the middle of grief.
That reminds us that resurrection is not only God’s future promise; it is also God’s present work.
Christ still brings hope where there is despair.
Christ still offers forgiveness where there is guilt.
Christ still brings peace into anxious hearts.
Christ still gives purpose to people who feel lost.
The resurrection power of God is already at work, bringing new life wherever Christ is welcomed.
As Paul writes,
“If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
A Place to Belong
One of the beautiful things about Christian camp is that many children and youth discover this truth in tangible ways.
Some arrive excited.
Others come nervous.
Some wonder if they’ll make friends.
Some carry burdens no one else can see.
Over the course of a few days, many begin to discover something life-changing: I belong. I matter. I am loved.
Of course, camp itself doesn’t change lives.
Christ does.
Camp simply creates space where people can encounter the love of Jesus, often through caring adults, authentic friendships, worship, and time spent in God’s creation.
The same is true of every healthy Christian community.
The Church is called to become a place where people experience the heart of the Good Shepherd—a place where they are welcomed, known, encouraged, and reminded that they are deeply loved by God.
The Shepherd Still Calls Our Names
That lesson I learned years ago while leading children through the woods still reminds me of an even greater truth.
We counted because every child mattered.
God doesn’t simply count us.
God knows us.
The Good Shepherd has never lost sight of you. Whatever you’re carrying today—fear, uncertainty, grief, loneliness, or questions about the future—Jesus knows your name.
The Shepherd still calls people by name.
The Shepherd still searches for those who feel lost.
The Shepherd still lays down His life in love.
The Shepherd still leads people into abundant life (John 10:10).
And because Jesus is “the resurrection and the life,” hope always has the final word.
Pieces of the Puzzle 