Daily Devotional for June 10, 2021

Tuesday, I wrote a devotional about the deep shame I felt for some of our church staff because they did not carry pocketknives.  Later that day, in order to redeem them from their shame, I bought each of them a multitool so that they could say they carried pocketknives on steroids which is even better than carrying a normal, everyday pocketknife.

Lucia was the staff babysitter.  When she read the devotional and saw that all true Christians carry pocketknives, she said, “I’ve got my pocketknife.  I’ll show you.”

Then Lucia reached into her purse and pulled out a machete, a broadsword, a switchblade, and a chainsaw.  I think she’s got it covered.

This got me thinking.

What do we have to show others in order prove we are Christians?

It’s simple.  It’s love.

In the 1960s, Peter Scholtes, a parish priest serving on the South Side of Chicago was leading a youth choir out of the church basement.  The choir was going to participate in a series of ecumenical and interracial events.  Because he could not find an appropriate song, in a single day, he wrote what has become one of the hallmark hymns of the Christian faith.

Many of you will have sung “They’ll Know We are Christians by Our Love.”  The refrain says it all.

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love,
By our Love,
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

In a world filled with bigotry, hatred, violence, addiction, exploitation, and abuse, those who follow Jesus carry his healing, grace filled love into a hurting world.  That’s how people will know who we are and whose we are – by our love.

Jesus said, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  (John 13:34-35)

Today, choose to love the lovable and the unlovable.  Choose to show the world God’s love.  It matters.

Prayer:  Dear Gracious Heavenly God, by my words and actions, help me show your healing love to this wounded world.  Use me for your purpose.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

In the end, all the money, power, authority, fame, and prestige we will have accumulated will simply melt away.  It doesn’t last and it doesn’t matter.  What matters is love. 

Love is eternal because God is eternal.  It’s about love.

Also, DON’T get too close to Lucia or you might get cut.

Just for the record, I’m not going to say who I was so ashamed of on our staff, but Adam, Sam, and Chris know who I’m talking about.

I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.
Tom Robbins