Week 8 devotional
Mike Geide
We did it- we made it to the last week of “Bare Your Souls” for this summer; but it’s not over, we have this one final push. Two weeks ago we reflected on our own burdens and laying them down before Jesus. Today’s theme is a reflection on Others (encompassing: service, charity, and evangelism or teaching).
With school starting up, and reflecting on different school mottos, I found it interesting that many of them reflect a theme of service. My alma mater (and Libby’s new school!), Virginia Tech has a motto of “Ut Prosim” (That I May Serve); my high school alma mater, Gonzaga: “Men for Others”; and our kids grade school: “When you find your place in this world, help others find theirs.”
When James and John approach Jesus and ask to sit at His side in the Kingdom; Jesus replies, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28) Jesus is steering them away from seeking greatness for the sake of being great; but to seek greatness by humbly serving. Jesus repeated shows service throughout His ministry, even demonstrating this to His Apostles by washing their feet.
We don’t go to school to learn to only better ourselves, but to use that knowledge and reflect it back out into the world to help others. Similarly, Jesus tells us, “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16) In one of Fr. Mike’s homilies he points to the candles flanking the altar where he had intentionally placed one that was tall and one that was short to emphasize the point that no matter our height, our age, our gifts and talents – we can all shine bright for others in this world.
Many of us have heard the phrase, “Pay It Forward” – this was based off the movie, where a social studies teacher assigns a 7th grade class to put a plan into action that will change the world for the better. A student, Trevor, calls his plan "pay it forward", where the recipient of a favor does a favor for three others rather than paying it back, and Trevor goes to work doing favors for others and telling them to pay it forward. Jesus gave us the ultimate “favor” – He says, “There is no greater love than this—that a man should lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13) which is exactly what Jesus did for us … and in exchange Jesus wants us to reflect that love out to God and to our neighbors.
Somewhere, someone out in this world is hurting – it may be physically, mentally, or spiritually … and you have the love and healing power of Christ that you can pass on. During your run today, reflect on who or what Jesus is calling you to pay his love forward. Who needs a “favor” right now in your life. It could be for a specific person or general cause. It could be someone who is having a bad day, a hard run of things, or has turned away from God. There are homeless, immigrants, illiterate, handicapped, elderly, orphaned, widowed, lonely, and countless others who carry burdens similar or worse to those that you laid down on your run two weeks ago. What is Jesus asking of you to “pay it forward” … how can you serve; be a man or woman to others; be a light to the world. To symbolize this call to others – we have leftover bracelets from our 2nd week that I invite you to take and pass along to someone you feel could benefit from receiving a message of Beginning Again and Doing the Next Right Thing.
God Bless.