Devotion - Thursday, April 6

Too often we think of Jesus as peaceful and calming and immensely popular.  In John 10, there is yet another story of how angry the crowd is toward him. They "took up stones again to stone him."

Jesus' words are a great comfort to me (and to you). Jesus' words bring a peace to my heart that would otherwise be impossible. But the message he proclaims is often set at odds with the scenario preferred by the world.

This is most obvious when we reflect on who is to be advantaged by our actions and our plans.  Jesus' words tells us to consider the other, the neighbor, the forgotten.

We are preoccupied with our safety while Jesus speaks of lying down our lives for the sake of others.

Our culture elevates personal wealth as the mark for status while Jesus would remind us that it is our service of others which brings us notice.

The words of Jesus, like the Word of God, sets the world right side up.  The world would seemingly prefer to be upside down.

It is the disciples of Jesus who can lead the way in making his way more obvious in the world.