ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 3, 2020
Scripture: John 13:13-15
You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.
Thought for the Day: How did you learn to walk? How did you learn to eat? How did you learn to say, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” Most of us learned the basics of life through watching and imitating. It was a mix of success and failure, trial and error. Jesus provided an example of sacrificial love that would become the model for the Christian life, yet we don’t elevate this act as often as we should. For that reason, we are unintentionally teaching things that even Jesus would say, “That’s not me!”
It’s interesting, especially as children, we learn a great deal from the more subtle cues, body language and the tone of people’s voices. Adults model things that they are not intending to model as they unconsciously react based upon an unnamed fear or bias. Studies seem to indicate that children are learning much more from our unintended teaching moments than we’d like to admit. Maybe this was why Jesus seemed so very deliberate with everything he did, while also taking time away for prayer and reflection. Those quiet moments are essential if our lives are going to communicate what we really want them to communicate.
Prayer: O God in Three Persons, you have modeled in the life of Jesus so much of what is important. Let us reflect seriously on whether our intended and unintended teaching moments are communicating the values we hope to communicate. Amen.
