Sent, Sign, Serve

One of the highlights in visiting my daughter and her family in Findlay Ohio (Besides the three grandsons) is the opportunity we have to visit Parkview Christian Church. The “kids” in the Sunday School class are always so welcoming to us old folks and the teaching from Pastor Neil is always challenging and Bible strong.

Last Sunday we looked at Luke 22. I had one of those experiences where something completely new came out of the reading of a familiar passage. I felt it might be worth sharing. Starting in verse 7, the chapter deals with the arrangements for what we know as The Last Supper. Jesus had the ability (previously demonstrated in the feeding of the multitudes) to provide for that Passover meal miraculously without any one else’s participation. However, He chose to send Peter and John to make the arrangements. How often do we see in scripture that God expects us to bring what we have into His presence and then allow Him to work a miracle with what we brought. When they inquired about the particulars of the arrangements, Jesus told them to watch for a man carrying a jar of water. Nothing strange there. But wait, in that culture carrying the water was the role of the women. So this unusual sight would have been a sign to them that they were on God’s right path. What do you use to watch for to discern whether or not you are tracking with God’s will for your life?  Finally, in response to His awareness of their prideful disputes about who was at the top, He demonstrated His desire that we serve one another by washing their feet.

At this morning’s Character Council meeting we reviewed the quality of compassion. One of the things that came out of that conversation was that compassion, done correctly, can be messy. When we respond thoughtfully to another we are called to humbly make an investment in the other person’s life without any expectation of recognition for our efforts. Following Christ’s example in our relationships with others will keep us aligned with His will and purpose.