Reading: Luke 7: 18-30 (Click to read text)
Reflection: Ever hear of the phrase “actions speak louder than words”? As a kid, I can remember my parents telling my brothers and me this phrase. This phrase carries over to adult life as well. I’m sure everyone has had an encounter with someone who brags about what a good Christian he or she happens to be, that he or she never misses a Sunday at church, but when the congregation needs another volunteer for the soup kitchen, or cookies for a youth event, the same person is too busy bolstering their image to help out. In the passage for today, Luke 7:18-30, John the Baptist’s disciples come looking for Jesus asking, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replies to the question, “Go tell John what you have seen and heard. The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cured…” So many times in our lives, we need to take a step back and ask ourselves if our actions are portraying our beliefs and values. Are our actions speaking louder than our words? A few years ago, I was in the mall wondering what to get my siblings for Christmas. I couldn’t think of anything besides candy that was in my budget. They really didn’t need candy, but I didn’t know what to buy. I noticed that my church was sponsoring a mission mall where one gives a donation to various causes in lieu of a gift. I knew I couldn’t get anything with my money alone, but realized that if my brothers and I put our gift money together, we could buy something that would make a difference. That year we bought a mosquito net for a family in a tropical region to keep them safe from mosquito transmitted diseases while they slept. Every year since, we have compiled our money and picked a gift that is very much needed by others who aren’t as fortunate. Just as Jesus answered John’s disciples by pointing to action, we need to question ourselves if our actions are truly showing the love of God that we talk about. In the end, it is not words alone that will bring a person to God, but the love and acceptance of those demonstrating that love. -- Maria Kuba, Maple Village Leader
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