While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, ‘My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.’” vs. 18
Matthew 9:18-26
When his daughter died, the leader of the synagogue, presumably a Pharisee, wasn’t the least bit concerned about Jesus’ association with sinners. Instead this righteous man humbled himself, knelt down at Jesus’ feet, and pleaded with him to come and restore his little girl to life. And we understand! It’s the sort of thing that loving fathers and mothers do for their children. When dread times come and calamity strikes, it’s pointless to hang on to divisive religious convictions. That’s why it’s often said that humanity functions best in the face of disaster. Again and again we put aside our differences, embrace the hurting ones, and make love the cornerstone of our relationships. How wonderful it is when we don’t wait for moments of crisis to start reaching out in love to one another! It’s fine for us to have different political opinions and embrace differing traditions, but when those differences drive us apart, something has gone very wrong. Life is precious! How sad it is to waste it with hateful speech and biased behaviors! How beautiful it is when we reach across barriers and boundaries and embrace the hurting with arms of mercy and healing love. For those who are in Christ, this is the only way!
Thought for the Day: What has love motivated me to do?
0 Comments