Monday, June 22

Today’s Readings: Psalm 22:1-15; 1 Samuel 16:14-7:11; John 19:17-24; 2 Corinthians 10:13-18; Psalm 22:16-31

There are usually certain moments in a person’s life that define that person’s character. And for me, these moments are usually not the big moments that people not – they are often the smaller moments that often go unnoticed by most. I’ll use a former colleague of mine named Linda as an example. I had known Linda for two years. During this time she revealed herself to be a wonderful advocate for the marginalized. She was especially committed to helping kids that society had thrown away. I grew to admire her deeply for what I perceived of as her capacity to care for those that others didn’t. One day we went out for lunch and the waitress made a mistake with our order. I didn’t think it was a big deal – so I expected Linda not to make a big deal about it either. I was wrong. Linda ranted and raved about how horrible the mistake was, and she ended up publicly humiliating the waitress. I never saw Linda with quite the same eyes again. Today’s passage from the Gospel of John reveals a similar moment when Jesus revealed his true character in a small moment. That moment didn’t occur during his arrest, trial, or early crucifixion – it occurred in his final moments when he showed concern for his mother’s well being by turning the responsibility for her care over to the beloved disciple. At a moment when most of us would have been lost in our own pain and suffering, Jesus was thinking of another. That small moment is what I think of most clearly when I think of Jesus propensity for self-emptying, sacrificial love. So if I were to watch a video tape of your life as you live it today, which small moment would best reveal the quality of your character? Til next time…