Frauds!
Our reading during worship was from Luke and told us about Jesus going to dinner with a pharisee and calling him (and others present) out on not doing anything for their local community.
It was a really powerful reading in which Jesus challenged the Pharisees and the Religious scholars to stop just quoting the rules, stop just taking from people, stop sitting in their comfort zone of adulation and public adoration, and to actually get out and do something. He tells them that they would need to give everything away to the poor to be clean again.
Strong words.
We tend to think of Jesus wandering around spreading love and joy, like a hippy minstrel and often forget that he was quite radical. He challenged the status quo of the time and when he saw something that was wrong he stood up and named it, called it out, dragged it from the shadows, held it up and said "Look, this is not right".
That is the Jesus we need to be more like today. It is easy to sit back, have worship, attend some voluntary groups and say "Hey, I am doing my bit. I am a good person" but to my mind Jesus calls us to step out of those comfortable paths, to put ourselves out there,to actually seek out challenges, not avoid them. After all, he could have just had a nice meal with a group of religious leaders, made polite conversation and gone home, easy and comfortable. Instead he challenged those present on their actions (or lack thereof).
So, as we go through our daily lives, as we walk down the shops, go out for an evening, or go to work, let's look for opportunities to be Jesus for others. It really isnt that difficult to do. Just say hello and how are you to someone in the street, smile and say Hi to someone you wouldn't normally talk to.
We all have reasons not to do these things, "I am too busy", "My life is so hectic", "I volunteer at xxxxxxx" etc These are things we have become used to, they are comfortable to us, we get into a routine and feel good about it but I truly believe that Jesus calls us to keep re-evaluating what we do, to look for places that we can make a difference, to find and face challenges, and in doing so little by little we share God's love with a wider group of people, who in turn will share it with those they meet.
So, lets start a ripple of Love that will move through our communities and beyond. It only takes one small pebble.
Have a truly blessed and joyful week.
Andrew
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