Gleanings…

What is your favorite story from the Bible? I realize that can be a difficult question to answer as we are all at different points in our life journeys. Where you are and what you are facing make a large difference in what you appreciate at any particular moment. I guess the question should really be, what story do you keep coming back to over time? I have one that has been a source of help and inspiration over the years and that is the parable of the good Samaritan.

Found only in The Gospel of Luke, chapter 10, verses 25 through 37, Jesus uses this parable to illustrate the way to eternal life. The text tells us that an expert in the law raises the question of what one must do to inherit eternal life, and upon hearing one must love God and one’s neighbor as oneself, seeks to justify the limitations he has placed on who and what constitutes a neighbor. We are well familiar with the text, so it remains a curiosity that much of the world still struggles with Jesus’ answer.

What are we to do? A recent sermon used text that asked us to consider how we meet and deal with temptations to sin. Using our Lord’s responses to the persecutions he faced throughout his life, we found that he overcame temptations by seeing each one as an opportunity to love. To me, that sounds a lot like restorative over retributive justice.

What struggles are you facing this year, this month, this day; now? Imagine what could happen if you took each of the difficulties you are facing and recast them as opportunities to show and share love? Now, imagine taking it a step farther. What would happen in your heart if no one knew about your act of love beyond the outcome? The author of Matthew’s gospel makes a point of stating that such activities honor God who sees what we do and knows what we think, and rewards us (see chapters 5-7).

I know that it has been stated many times by many with much status in the world, but it bears repeating that love is the only sure way to counter hatred, injustice, self-centeredness, and ill-will. 1 Corinthians 13 expresses it far better than I can, but true acts of love are the only things worth doing given what little time we have in this life.

So, I invite you tot take a little time when temptations threaten to overwhelm you, when trials are too much to bear, or when you are not sure what your response should be and consider the effect that the love of Jesus has had upon your heart. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone felt that same love?

See you Sunday if not before,

Pastor Braxton ><>