Daily Meditation: February 18, 2020

by Lisa Tompkins Holden on February 18, 2020

"Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments. Whoever says, ‘I have come to know him’, but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says, ‘I abide in him’, ought to walk just as he walked."

- 1 John 2:3-6


John makes clear what he wants to say. For us to say "we abide in him", i.e. to call ourselves "Christians" means we must walk just as Jesus walked. I recall hearing from the pulpit that Jesus never said, "worship me", but he often said, "follow me". I think this is what John is trying to say--we must find a way to follow Jesus. Wouldn't worshipping be easier?!

So, what does it mean to walk as Jesus walked? I think Jesus gave us the answer to the test, when he gave the Pharisee the answer. After Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time, a Pharisee asked Jesus this question, trying to test him: " Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" Jesus responded, not in a parable, but very directly: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22: 32-39)
So, we have the answer, now--how do we do that? This is the challenge for all Christians everywhere. How do we love our ourselves, so that we are able to love our neighbor? What does it mean to love my neighbor? How does this way of being affect the way I speak to and about others? How does this way of being inform how I engage in discourse with those who don't agree with me, without demonizing the other? Perhaps the phrase, often trivialized, "What would Jesus do?" might help us decide.

"Loving God--Jesus showed us a way to live that honors all of Your children, AND that way is not an easy path. Please give me the commitment, the courage, the compassion and the wisdom to love those who are different from me.
Show me the way. Amen."