Skip to main content

The gift of YOU


Our reading from the Narrative Lectionary for this week is from Acts 3:1-10.  Peter and John are heading to the Temple for afternoon prayer and they encounter a crippled beggar asking for money.  Peter informs him that he has no money, but what he does have he will give him.  He then tells him to "walk" and the man is healed. 

What stands out to me in this reading is that Peter does not stop with a simple denial of the request.  When a beggar asks for money on the street I will often say "I am sorry, I don't carry cash."  The conversation ends there and I walk away.  Peter admits that he does not have what the man is asking for, but then considers what he has that may be of use.  Have you ever stopped to consider what you might have to give? 

During the corona-virus isolation I have been floored by the kindness and creativity of people that have asked this question of themselves.  I have friends who are offering free Qigong, Yoga, and cooking classes.  Storytellers have taken to reading bedtime stories for kids.  PlayStation offered up some free games to help people during the isolation.  Slothicorn offered our church free merit badges to help keep our children engaged.  The possibilities are endless, and it is a beautiful testament to humanity and what we are capable of when we pause to ask "what do I have to give?". 

May you be filled with creativity this week.  May you be a fountain of love pouring out and bubbling over into the world.  May you be a light on a hill, and the salt of the earth.  May you be keenly aware of what wonderful gift you have to give to the world, and may you have the strength to share it.  Amen.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Divine | Shame | Humans

Shame is often the only thing between our creator and us. Our reading this week is from Job 14:5-6: A person’s days are determined;      you have decreed the number of his months      and have set limits he cannot exceed. So look away from him and let him alone,      till he has put in his time like a hired laborer. Job is struggling with shame and judgement.  He is wondering why God is spending time paying attention to him, a tiny speck in the great universe, a blink of an eye in all eternity.  Why would God waste time casting a glance at us, let alone fostering us, raising us, and disciplining us?  He cries out "Why won't God just let us be, to live out our miserable existence?" A friend shared a post with me on Facebook this week.  It was a video of her dog who had stolen her donut.  The dog had been under the bed for two hours before she started the video.  The video begins with a clear view of the dog and the uneaten donut under the bed.  The dog casts glances from s
Post a Comment
Read more

Justice & Privilege

The narrative lectionary reading for this week begins a 5 week series on the book of Job.  We focus on Job 1:1-12.  This first section sets the background for the parable.  It is important to note that this is clearly a parable, not a historical text.  This means we must look beyond the described events and towards a deeper meaning within the text.   The story goes like this: ___ There was once a man who thought he was good, an upright citizen, a religiously devout man.  He made good choices and avoided all forms of evil.  He was so pious that he made sacrifices in the name of his family members in case they had unknowingly sinned.  He had great wealth and privilege, and so this was evidence of his goodness.   God was so pleased with this great man, named Job, that he bragged about him to the accuser.  The accuser objected "Of course Job is good, you have provided him with wealth, power, and protection. He would curse you if he was not so privileged."  At this, God takes the
Post a Comment
Read more

Fool for Christ

Our reading from the Narrative Lectionary this week is 2 Corinthians 5.  Verse 13 stood out to me. If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. - 2 Corinthians 5:13a (NLT) John Wimber, the founder of the Vineyard churches did a famous sermon called "I am a fool for Christ, whose fool are you?".  Reading this week's text reminded me of this wonderful sermon.  Wimber's sermon reminds us that, as christians, we are called to something truly radical.  The christian walk is strange and counter cultural.  Jesus once explained this to his disciples in John 15 "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. You don't belong to this world, I have chosen you out of it.  That is why the world hates you."   Peter, in a letter to the church, later referred to all of us as strangers just passing through this world.   Do you feel like a stranger?  Do you feel like the world hates you?  Are you a fool for Christ? Here is the thing, you are going t
Post a Comment
Read more