Happy Groundhog Day!
Released in 1993, Groundhog Day is one of the most fascinating movies I've ever seen. It's not my favorite movie, but it always makes me think. (And this fake trailer for an upcoming sequel totally fooled me!)
The movie is about a grumpy weatherman named Phil Connors, played by my uncle, Bill Murray. (Just kidding about the uncle part. But my dad did meet Bill Murray twice, once in New York and once in Orlando. The cool thing about it is when he met him the second time, Bill remembered him!) Phil begrudgingly travels to the small town of Punxsutawney to cover Groundhog Day. He can't wait to get the day over with so he can get back to the big city. But the next day, Phil wakes up to discover it's... Groundhog Day again!
Phil finds himself trapped in a time loop. Every day he wakes up, and it's Groundhog Day. Nothing he did the previous day mattered.
Here's why I find this premise so interesting: Phil lived in a world without time, and he essentially became a god. Not the God, of course, but a small "g" god. (He even tells other people he's a god!) In a sense, Phil became all-knowing. He lived the same day over and over, so he learned everything that would happen in those 24 hours. He amazes the people of Punxsutawney by revealing intimate details about their lives. He is able to "predict" the future and even knows every answer to that evening's Jeopardy! episode.
How does Phil use this new power of his? At first, he uses it for his own benefit, much like the small "g" gods of Greek mythology do. He lives recklessly, knowing nothing he does will have lasting consequences. He manipulates and uses women to his advantage. Whatever Phil desires—whatever appetite he wants to feed at the moment—he can find a way to get it.
This might sound like heaven to some people. (So often, heaven is portrayed as a place where we get to indulge in whatever we want. This is such a small view of heaven.) But for Phil, this reality dissolves into a kind of hell. Even though he fulfills all his desires, Phil's life is devoid of purpose. He becomes deeply depressed and tries to kill himself. But he can't even do that. Each time he does something to end his life, he wakes up in bed, and it is February 2 all over again.
Eventually, Phil takes a different approach. Rather than focusing on himself, he uses his knowledge of the day's events to serve others. He helps people. He saves them from accidents. He develops and uses his talents in ways that benefit the community. And this is when Phil truly begins to live.
It's tempting to conclude that Phil's good deeds are a way for him to atone for his past sins. (I.e., he cannot escape the time loop until he does enough good deeds.) Many people view the afterlife through this same lens. We need to tip the scales in our favor to earn our spot in heaven. But I don't think this is the message we should take from the movie.
Yes, Phil does transform from a selfish person into a selfless one. But Phil's transformation isn't just about doing good deeds. It's about discovering the joy of living as God intended, with love, purpose, and connection to others.
What moves me the most about Phil's change is how it breathes life into him. At first, he thinks that living for himself is the path to true happiness. But it leaves him feeling empty and dead inside. Paradoxically, it's only when Phil turns outward that he experiences inner peace. He becomes fully human. And even though he is trapped, he somehow finally feels free.
To me, this beautifully illustrates the upside-down nature of God's Kingdom. We find life by losing it. By cultivating attributes such as peace, patience, and kindness—through the strength of the Holy Spirit, not our own—we experience a small slice of Eden. This is life as God intended it to be. No, we will never get it completely right until the day Jesus returns. But God's Kingdom is breaking through in the here and now, and we can choose to be part of it.
Being a small "g" god may sound like fun. And it may be! For a while, anyway. But, as Phil discovered, living like a small god leads to a small life. It destroys you from the inside out. You become a hollow shell of who you were created to be.
This Groundhog Day, I hope none of us gets trapped in a time loop. (If you wake up tomorrow and find this same email in your inbox, you may be in trouble!) But I do hope we will stop to consider each small choice we make throughout the day. Do my words and actions reflect a little bit of God's Kingdom into the world? Or are they building a wall around me, trapping me in my own small kingdom?
And, of course, we will mess up. I will mess up. In those moments, we may wish to get a Groundhog Day do-over! But God's mercies are new every morning—not because we earned them, but because of Jesus. We have something more powerful than a time loop. We have grace!
Because of grace, we can apologize for the unkind words we said to our spouse and ask Jesus to help us love better next time.
Because of grace, we can apologize for rushing a conversation with a hurting friend and ask Jesus to help us listen with more patience next time.
And because of grace, we can wake up each day knowing Jesus will give us new opportunities to live out God's Kingdom in this world.
Questions to Ponder:
Have you ever chased after selfish desires, only to feel empty? Why do you think living like a small "g" god never fully satisfies?
Phil Connors found true life when he stopped living for himself and started serving others. How have you experienced joy and purpose when you've chosen to love and serve?
So often, we beat ourselves up over past mistakes and wish we could get a do-over. How can we learn from our mistakes and move forward in Jesus' grace and mercy instead of staying trapped in shame?
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"If You're Not Stressed, You're Doing It Wrong"
A few weeks ago, I revealed that my phrase of the year is "slow but purposeful." It amazes me how much of life pushes against this idea. It feels like the moment you experience a bit of peace, you soon get sucked back into the current of frantic busyness.
A couple of days before the new year, a thought entered my mind. I was pondering how to live a slow but purposeful life when there is so much to do. And it occurred to me that on most days, I go through life believing this lie:
If I'm Not Stressed, I'm Doing It Wrong
So often, I wake up and expect to be overwhelmed. It's almost like a pre-set factory setting. Of course, I should be stressed right now. That's life!
And sometimes, when things are peaceful and calm, I get suspicious. I'm not stressed, so something must be wrong. Things are a bit too quiet... too peaceful. Is there something I forgot to do? (It's like the scene in Home Alone where the mom is sitting comfortably in her first-class plane seat. Then suddenly, she jumps up and screams, "Kevin!")
Do you ever go through life this way?
I know this isn't how Jesus wants me to live.
In John 10, Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd. It's a beautiful image. He knows his sheep, and he cares for them. But Jesus warns us there is an enemy who has a different agenda:
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. (John 10:10, ESV)
One of Satan's greatest tactics is to take the good gifts God gives us and use them against us.
God gives us 24 hours a day to do meaningful work, love others, and enjoy his beautiful creation. And what does Satan do? Well, in my experience, he attempts to turn those same 24 hours into a pressure cooker! He dangles lies in front of me about how I'm not doing enough.
But Jesus came for the exact opposite reason:
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10, ESV)
Jesus came to offer us abundant life.
Now, we need to be careful not to twist Jesus' words. Jesus is not preaching a prosperity gospel.
Abundant life doesn't mean a perfect life. It doesn't mean a carefree life. It doesn't mean that if we choose to follow Jesus, everything will go our way, and we'll have material abundance, good health, and wild success.
We only have to read through the gospels to know that isn't what Jesus had in mind!
And as we have seen this past week with the raging wildfires in LA, there are stressful times. My heart breaks for those whose lives are now forever changed by the devastation. It makes my small stresses feel like a piece of cake.
Part of what it means to have abundant life is peace in the middle of chaos. Even in stressful moments, I can stop and take a breath to remind myself that the Good Shepherd is with me. He has laid down his life for me so I can be at peace with God and others. And, as King David says in Psalm 23, he has invited me to be a guest at his table.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever. (v. 5-6, NIV)
A few verses earlier, David says that even though he is walking through a dark time, he doesn't have to be afraid. He knows God is with him.
This is what abundant life looks like. It's not a life free from hard times. It's a life of experiencing Jesus as he walks with us through those hard times.
So, as we enter a new week ahead, my challenge for each of us (including myself!) is to take a few minutes out of our day and sit with the Good Shepherd. Take some deep breaths. Read Psalm 23 out loud. (It's amazing. I took a few seconds to do this now, and I already feel calmer.) But most of all, allow the peace of Jesus to comfort you.
My mind might scream, "If you're not stressed, you're doing it wrong!"
But Jesus says, "If you're stressed, come to the Good Shepherd."
Questions to Ponder:
Do you ever find it difficult to experience peace, even in the non-stressful moments of life? Why do you think that is?
What do you think it means to have abundant life in Jesus?
On a scale from 1 to 10, how stressed or overwhelmed do you feel right now? How can you carve out a few minutes each day this week to rest with the Good Shepherd?
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The Prodigal Son & Daughter
The Prodigal Son is one of my favorite parables.
A son thinks he knows better than his father and cashes out his inheritance early. He soon discovers that his newfound freedom is not all it's cracked up to be. After losing everything, he returns home expecting to be chastised by his father. Instead, his father has prepared a welcome home party for him! It's a great story.
But have you ever heard of the story of the Prodigal Son and Daughter? It's found in the first few pages of Scripture.
This year, I am reading through the Bible from start to finish. My goal is to see familiar stories in fresh ways. It's easy to rush past the opening chapters of Genesis because I've read them so many times. (I would guess Genesis is the most-read book in January as people begin Bible reading plans!) But the story of Adam and Eve is the story of all of us. There is so much I can learn from it.
In the beginning, God creates the first pair of humans and puts them in a beautiful garden. I think we sometimes view the Garden of Eden as some kind of tropical paradise. Adam and Eve were on an eternal island vacation and spent their days relaxing in the sun. But it was so much better than that!
Eden was a place where God dwelled with Adam and Eve. And God gave them a purpose. They were to rule alongside him and help all creation flourish. This is an amazing responsibility. I imagine it was similar to the relationship the father in Jesus' parable had with his two sons. The father invited his sons to work alongside him. They had everything they needed to thrive.
The first command God ever gave to humans is pretty incredible, too.
"You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;" (Genesis 2:16, NIV)
"You are free..."
The first command uttered by God is not a restriction. It's an invitation to explore creation! You are free. It reminds me of the words the father spoke to the older son when he became envious of the welcome home party for his brother.
"'My son," the father said, "you are always with me, and everything I have is yours." (Luke 15:31, NIV, emphasis mine)
It is so easy to believe the lie that God is holding out on us. I know I've believed it before. But here, on the first pages of the Bible, we see God is a good father. He delights in spending time with his children, giving them good gifts, and filling their days with purpose.
And yes, God did place one restriction on his command to live freely:
”… but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die." (Genesis 2:17, NIV)
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is a bit puzzling. Why is knowledge of good and evil a bad thing? And why would God place a tree in the garden that is forbidden? Is this some kind of trick?
A lot can be said about this topic. But I think one important point to remember is that God desired a real relationship with Adam and Eve. And for that to be possible, they needed to trust that God was the source of all good things.
As Adam and Eve grew in their relationship with God, I believe they would have been given access to that tree in small doses. God would have given them the knowledge they needed at the right time.
And so they had a choice. (Because, as one pastor I heard put it, love is always a choice.)
They could trust that God would give them wisdom. Or they could take it for themselves. And we know how the story ends.
The serpent managed to convince Eve that God was holding out on them. And Adam bought into the lie, too. And here's the thing: the fruit from the tree did provide them with some knowledge. But it was a knowledge that left them feeling disillusioned and ashamed.
Some people find this story hard to believe. And I get why! It seems so mythological. But I only need to look at my own life to know it's true.
How many times did I take knowledge I wasn't ready for? How many times did I obtain wisdom in a way that wrecked me?
In the song "Growing Young," Rich Mullins sings these haunting words:
I've gone so far from my home
I've seen the world and I have known
So many secrets
I wish now I did not know
'Cause they have crept into my heart
They have left it cold and dark
And bleeding,
Bleeding and falling apart
Indeed, there are secrets in this world I wish I could unknow. Things I wish I could unsee. Words I wish I could unsay. All because I thought I knew better and grasped at knowledge I wasn't ready for.
There is a great irony in the parable of the Prodigal Son. The money the younger son used to wreck his life always belonged to him. But he took it before he was ready for it.
What if the son had stayed home and deepened his bond with the father? What if he had partnered with the father to create something beautiful? What if he had gained knowledge and wisdom from the father as they worked alongside each other? Maybe then, when it came time for the son to inherit his money, he would have used it in a way that led to flourishing.
Same thing for Adam and Eve. And same thing for me!
The story of Adam and Eve is a tragic one. But it was not the end. Because even as they left the garden, God had a plan to get them back in one day.
He was already preparing the welcome home party.
Questions to Ponder:
What do you think was the purpose of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?
What is the difference between seeking wisdom/knowledge from God and going after it our own way?
Have you ever obtained wisdom/knowledge in a way that led to death (not necessarily literal death!) instead of flourishing? What did you learn from the experience?
How can you partner and work alongside God this year, trusting him to provide you with the wisdom you need?
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My 3-Word Phrase for 2025
Happy New Year!
(No, that's not the phrase, lol!)
I hope your 2025 is off to a great start. :)
So, I've never been someone who chooses a "word of the year." But for the past two years, I've given it a try. I would say the results have been... mixed.
To be honest, I am not 100% sure what it means to have a word of the year. I understand the concept: you choose a word to focus on. In theory, it's a good idea. But after a couple of weeks go by and the shine of the new year wears off, I usually forget about it. I don't mean I literally forget what word I've chosen. (That would be kind of funny, though. What was my word again?!) I just mean I get swept away in the routine of life, and I lose focus of it for weeks or months at a time.
A Look Back at Past Words
In 2023, my word was simplicity. And ironically, my life seemed to get more complicated! I faced several issues, and one of them was burnout from trying to do too much. I took a sabbatical from writing for most of that year. I got a job helping a photographer friend with client management and social media.
On the positive side, choosing simplicity helped me be okay with taking a break. As I look back on that tough season, I see how God was working. Doing something different gave me the time and space to reflect on my life and how I wanted to move forward. By the end of 2023, I felt renewed and ready to get back to my writing. I am grateful for that time (and for my friend who gave me the opportunity to build a new set of skills).
Then in 2024, I chose the word health. I turned 40 the year prior, and I wanted to make a more conscious effort to take care of myself. This is especially important because of my cerebral palsy. If I am not taking deliberate steps to improve, it is much easier to regress.
I've made some progress in this area. I started seeing a martial arts instructor. He's been working with me on many things, especially my breathing and flexibility. These are two important areas to focus on if you have CP. I am grateful to him. Robert, if you are reading this, thank you, my friend!
At the same time, I've also had some health challenges. I've shared about my fainting episode earlier this year that required me to get some tests. I am still not completely over the hill yet, but I hope to be soon!
I share all that to say this: I think choosing a word of the year can be helpful in some aspects, but it is not anything "magical." It can provide you with direction at the start of the year. But my advice is to hold on to the word loosely because God may have other plans in mind. Or he might have a different interpretation of the word than you do! That was the case when I chose simplicity. The journey was different from what I thought it would be. But in the end, God taught me something.
And, of course, if choosing a word of the year isn't your thing, don't do it. We are all different, and God has different methods of working in us.
My Phrase for 2025
I did not think I would do a word of the year in 2025. But a few weeks ago, I was out on my scooter, and a three-word phrase hit me like a ton of bricks!
I was thinking about how often I am frustrated with myself for not getting "enough" done. If I can be vulnerable for a moment, sometimes I feel like a leaf blowing in the wind. I have so many ideas—so many projects I could be working on—that it's hard to focus.
We live in a "hustle" culture. As 21st-century Americans, one of the biggest idols we are tempted to worship is productivity. There's always a new hack or system designed to help you do more. There are articles written with titles like 7 Things to Do Before Breakfast to Squeeze More Out of Your Day!
I've tried some of these productivity systems. I don't think they are all bad. I like learning new ways to get things done. (One of my favorite podcasts is All It Takes Is A Goal by Jon Acuff. He has a great perspective on goals/productivity.) But the problem comes when we see efficiency as the end-all-be-all (AKA, as a god). We rush through the day like our hair is on fire! And that is a recipe for allowing life to pass you by.
At the end of the day, maybe we've checked everything off our to-do list. But if we keep our heads down the whole time, just trying to "make it through" another day, we miss the opportunities God puts in front of us. Opportunities to love and serve others. Opportunities to reflect and be grateful. Opportunities to rest in God's grace.
As all these thoughts were swarming in my head, this phrase came to me:
Slow but purposeful.
I felt God telling me to slow down. Do less. But when I do take action, make it purposeful.
This is the point of that old "The Tortoise and The Hare" fable, right? The hare runs around as fast as he can but doesn't put much thought into it. The tortoise moves slowly, but all his strides have the same goal. Every step he takes has a purpose.
It's easy to feel like there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done. And yet, it's amazing how often I move through the day without purpose.
"I'll just check Facebook real quick before I start writing." Then I look up, and 30 minutes have flown by!
"I'll just watch this one 5-minute YouTube video before I start writing." Down the rabbit hole! One video turns into 5 or 6 more!
I want to become more aware of what I do throughout the day. This is how Jesus lived his life. He was never in much of a rush. But boy, did he move with purpose!
Slow but purposeful.
Goals for This Year
So, what will this look like for me? Well, in my work life, I have two big goals.
The first is to publish my next devotional book. I finished the final chapter last week. But there is still a lot to do to get it ready for publication. It can seem overwhelming, but not if I take small, purposeful steps.
The second is to continue publishing content to my newsletter every week. While I want to focus on the book, I don't want the newsletter to grind to a halt. On the contrary, I would like it to be more consistent!
To do this, I plan to write shorter devotionals and publish them every Friday. On some weeks, I may share something I've been pondering. On other weeks, I may choose a scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary and use it as a starting point for my thoughts. Either way, the content week to week will be less connected than when I am writing material for a new book. I think this will be a refreshing change!
Practically speaking, this will look like writing for two hours per day before doing any other business-related tasks (or checking Facebook/YouTube/etc.). Two hours a day of writing doesn't seem like a lot. But based on my experiences, it's the perfect amount of time before I start to tire out. In fact, it has taken me about two hours to write this newsletter!
Slow but purposeful.
I feel hopeful these three words will keep me moving toward my goals consistently and manageably.
But as always, we will see where God takes me!
What about you? Do you have a word/phrase/goal/resolution for the year?
If so, let me know.
I would love to encourage you as we begin 2025 together!
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Following The King Into The Kingdom
Parable of the Good Samaritan, Part 5
This Week's Bible Reading: Luke 10:25-37 (focus on verse 37)
Supporting Passage: John 13:31-38; Philippians 2:1-11
As a Christian, I am sometimes tempted to view life through a "God and me" lens.
It's just God and me over here doing our thing, so I don't need to worry about what's going on in the world. Put me on a secluded island with a Bible and some firewood, and I'll be content!
But as I've studied the Good Samaritan parable, I've learned that the commands to love God and love neighbor are linked together. My vertical relationship (with God) is tied to my horizontal relationships (with others). Believe me, there are days when I wish I could untangle them! But in God's Kingdom, we express our love for God through our love for others.
This is a truly beautiful thing when I ponder it. But it is also hard to do. We are messy, broken humans dealing with other messy, broken humans. If loving our neighbors as ourselves is vital to living out God's Kingdom, is there any hope for us?
No. Not if we try to love others in our own strength.
But with Jesus, there is always hope!
A few weeks ago, I mentioned that some people interpret the Good Samaritan parable as solely an illustration of how Jesus saved us. We are the injured man beaten down by the thieves (who, in this case, represent the devil). Jesus is the Good Samaritan who saved us when we couldn't save ourselves.
If we only view the parable this way, I believe we miss Jesus' main point in telling it. We need to remember the context Luke placed it in: Jesus told this story because a lawyer wanted to know who his neighbor was. And once the lawyer understood that mercy matters more than labels, Jesus gave him this parting command:
Then Jesus said, "Yes, now go and do the same." (Luke 10:37, NLT)
Jesus wanted this parable to move the lawyer—and everyone else who hears it—into action. The lesson is to "go and do the same" to everyone we meet, even those we find hard to love.
But once we understand this truth, there is no reason why we can't also see Jesus as the ultimate Good Samaritan.
These two interpretations are not at odds with each other. Far from it. They depend on each other! If the call is to love others, then we need the love of Jesus to help us do it. We can only love because he loved us first.
Jesus is the one who saw we were in trouble and helpless to save ourselves.
Jesus is the one who chose to enter into our mess and become a servant so that he could relate to us.
And as he walked this earth, Jesus was the one who taught us what love looks like. He had compassion for everyone, including those forgotten and overlooked by others.
On the night before Jesus performed the ultimate act of love—dying a death he did not deserve so we could be set free—he washed his disciples' messy, stinky feet. And after he did so, he said these words:
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. (John 13:34, NLT)
As we've discussed, God always desired for his people to love others. So why does Jesus call this a "new" commandment?
Because Jesus knew we would have trouble living it out. He knew we couldn't "go and do the same" on our own. And so he adds a new piece to this command that completes the puzzle:
Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. (John 13:34, NLT, emphasis mine)
How do we love others when everything in us would rather walk right by them?
We look to Jesus. We follow his lead. We remember how he loved us when we were at our most unlovable. And we ask him to help us love through the power of the Holy Spirit.
It's hard to believe, but our journey through Jesus' parables is coming to a close. Before we end, we need to ask our question one final time...
What does the parable of the Good Samaritan teach us about how to live out God's Kingdom in a messy, broken world?
I find it amazing that God shows me something new in this parable every time I dig into it! Here is what I've learned this time:
In God's Kingdom, there are no boundary lines when it comes to showing compassion and mercy.
In God's Kingdom, being a good neighbor goes beyond seeing the needs of others. It requires us to draw near to a person's pain and be present with them in their mess.
And, when loving others seems like too great a task, we look to the king of God's Kingdom: King Jesus. He loved us when we were impossible to love. His sacrifice healed us from the brokenness of sin. And his Spirit gives us the strength to go out and love others.
So let's follow King Jesus into his Kingdom as we now "go and do the same"!
Questions to Ponder:
When are you most tempted to take on a "it's me and God and nobody else" attitude? How does our relationship with others affect our relationship with God?
What are some ways Jesus has shown compassion to you? How can you follow his example as you seek to love others this week?
Think about the person (or group) you wrote in the blank in the previous part of this series. Take a few minutes to ask Jesus to give you the strength to "go and do the same" for them.
What did the parable of the Good Samaritan teach you about how to live out God's Kingdom in a messy, broken world?
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The Defaced Dollar Bill Dilemma: A Christmas Reflection
A few weeks ago, I was hanging out with a friend, and he said, "Oh, there is something I've been wanting to show you. I don't know what to do about this."
I was intrigued.
He proceeded to reach into his wallet and pull out a dollar bill. He told me he got this dollar bill as part of some change he received from a fast food place. It was a crisp, fresh bill. But written on it—in some of the best handwriting I've ever seen, by the way—was a vulgar statement about God.
Actually, it was three vulgar statements. I can't repeat them here. I'm not even sure how to describe them in a PG way!
My friend wanted to know what he should do with this dollar bill. He didn't want to spend it and put it back in circulation for others to read. So he wanted my advice. And I confess, I wasn't much help in the moment. I was kind of stunned by it.
Whoever wrote this was clearly angry at God. As I said, this wasn't just a careless scribble. They put time and attention into writing a creative message meant to insult and degrade God. It was, in its own way, a work of obscene art. And the artist wasn't simply apathetic to God as some people may be. No. For whatever reason, they saw God as bad news.
But I started thinking this week... Isn't it interesting that the message of Christmas is the exact opposite of this? When the angel came to visit the shepherds on that first Christmas night, this is what he said:
But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." (Luke 2:10-12, NIV)
The angel was making a bold claim. In that culture, the Savior of the world was said to be the important guy living in the palace—Caesar! But now this angel says the true Savior is actually a newborn baby who, at this very moment, is lying in a messy feeding trough. And these lowly shepherds get a personal invite to go see him.
I've seen the movie The Polar Express about 100 times. From that statistic, you may think it's a personal favorite of mine. But actually, 99 of those times have been in the past two weeks! We put it on for our 3-year-old son, Emmett, and he became instantly hooked.
There is one moment in the movie that I love. After overcoming a series of mishaps, the Polar Express train has finally reached the North Pole. The conductor has done everything in his power to keep the train on course. And now he can hardly believe they've arrived. As he looks out from the train, he laughs with joy. He then covers his mouth with his hands and begins to weep with relief. It has been a long night, and you can sense how cathartic this moment is for him.
I wonder if this is how the angels felt on the night Jesus was born. Just as the conductor's joy came after a long night of challenges, the angels' celebration marked the culmination of God's plan to bring salvation to the world. God had set this plan in motion thousands of years ago. It had been a bumpy ride (literally for Mary since she probably rode a donkey to Bethlehem!). But now the moment was finally here. No wonder the angels couldn't contain themselves and cried out, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests" (Luke 2:14).
Could this baby really be good news of great joy for all the people? Even for people who see him as bad news and deface dollar bills with vulgar messages?
Yes!
This is the magic of Christmas.
We are all invited to go to the manger and gaze at this helpless baby who will soon save the world—not by force, but by sacrificially giving up his life.
There is hope for all of us.
When I saw what was written on that dollar bill, I didn't know how to respond. Part of me was angry at the person for being so angry at God. My friend and I brainstormed some options:
Maybe he should burn the bill so that no one else would ever have to read it.
Maybe he should do a good deed with the bill and use it to buy food for a homeless person. Kind of a "What you intended for harm, God intended for good" (Genesis 50:20) take on it.
Maybe he should write a positive counter-message on it. Something like, "God loves the person who wrote this."
Maybe he should turn it into the bank and let them decide what to do.
We even decided to consult a higher power about it. And by "higher power," I mean my dad. We were confident he'd know what to do! So I called him up and explained our dilemma. His answer surprised us: He suggested we buy a scratch-off lottery ticket with it. (And, I assume, give the winnings away to charity.)
We weren't sold on any of these ideas. But as my friend and I kept talking, we started to have more compassion for the person who wrote it.
Who knows what this person is going through or what kind of pain they are dealing with? Who knows what they have experienced that made them want to direct so much anger toward God?
If I sat down with them face-to-face, what story would they tell me?
Finally, my friend said, "What if I just keep this and pray for whoever wrote it?"
I thought that was a great idea. Better than anything I came up with! Because no matter how far from God this person may seem, Christmas says there is hope for them.
And no matter how badly I mess up or you mess up, Christmas says there is hope for us.
The crying baby in the manger really is good news for all of us. His cries ring with hope. They remind us that, as the song goes,...
Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled."
We sometimes go to great lengths to separate ourselves from God.
But God goes to greater lengths to reconcile us back to him.
Wishing you and your loved ones a very Messy Christmas!
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The Good ______________
Parable of the Good Samaritan, Part 4
This Week's Bible Reading: Luke 10:25-37 (focus on verses 36-37)
Over the past few weeks, we've been exploring the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus told this parable because a lawyer wanted clarification on who his neighbor was. After Jesus reveals the twist ending of the story—that the hero is a despised Samaritan—he poses this question to the lawyer:
"Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?" Jesus asked. (Luke 10:36, NLT)
Jesus makes a subtle change to the lawyer's original question. The lawyer asked, "Who is my neighbor?" (v. 29) But now Jesus asks him, "Who in this story acted like a neighbor to the injured man?" When put like this, the answer is obvious. The lawyer can't yet bring himself to utter the dreaded "S" word (“Samaritan!”). But he does understand what Jesus is getting at:
The man replied, "The one who showed him mercy." (Luke 10:37, NLT)
By rephrasing the question this way, Jesus is saying, "Don't worry so much about who your neighbor is. Instead, focus on being a neighbor to others. Treat the people around you with so much compassion that it shocks them!"
The book Parables from the Back Side by J. Ellsworth Kalas examines Jesus' parables from a different perspective. In the chapter titled "When the Good Samaritan Is Bad News," Kalas approaches this parable from the viewpoint of the injured man. How did he feel about being rescued by a Samaritan?
Imagine him lying in bed at the inn, still battered and bruised from the vicious attack. He slowly opens his eyes and finds himself in a dimly lit room. He tries to speak but is too weak, and his mouth is so dry. Then he hears a gentle voice.
"Don't try to move. Just rest," says a shadowy figure leaning over him. The stranger lifts the man's head and helps him drink some water. The man senses he is in good hands and whispers a prayer of thanks to God. Then he settles back in the bed and drifts off to sleep.
The next day, the man feels a bit better. The innkeeper comes to check on him.
"What happened to me last night?" the man asks. "Who tended to me?"
The innkeeper doesn't know many details about the stranger's identity. But he does know one thing: he was a Samaritan.
The man is shocked to discover this! He's not sure what to think or how to feel. He has such immense gratitude for the person who saved him. But learning that it was a Samaritan rattles him to the core.
Receiving compassion from someone we do not like is an uncomfortable experience. It forces us to view them through a different lens. Here is how Kalas puts it:
I'm sure God has a warm and gentle sense of humor. He so often sends blessings into our lives through unlikely channels. Let me warn you: As surely as you harbor ill feelings against some ethnic, racial, or intellectual group, or some particular class of people, you can expect that someday, somehow God will allow such a person to touch your life in some strange and helpful way. The good Samaritan so often is bad news to our preferences and prejudices.
This aspect of the parable challenges all of us. But if we can grasp it, we'll find God's Kingdom breaking through in the most unlikely places. So, as our time with this parable nears its end, I want us to try a little exercise.
Grab a pen and paper and write down this phrase:
The Good ____________________________.
Now think of someone you struggle to show compassion to (and would find it hard to receive compassion from). Write their name in that blank.
It could be an individual person.
The Good Sister-in-Law Who Criticizes Me.
The Good Supervisor at Work Who Berates Me.
The Good Guy at the Stoplight Revving His Engine for No Apparent Reason Who Annoys Me.
Or it could be a specific group of people like in Jesus' parable. Of course, it will be a different group for each of us. For some, it might be:
The Good Socialist.
The Good Immigrant.
And for others, perhaps:
The Good Tech Billionaire.
The Good MAGA Hat-Wearer.
Whoever it is for you, write it in that blank. Then, take a moment to read the phrase: "The Good ______________."
If it makes you recoil a bit in disgust, that's okay.
If it makes you want to crumble up the paper and throw it across the room, that's okay, too. You're probably feeling what the lawyer felt after hearing Jesus' words. That's why this parable is so offensive.
Do you know who I would write in that blank? I can think of a few options, but here is my answer for today:
The Good Lawyer Who Asked Jesus, "Who Is My Neighbor?"
Yes, it's hard for me to love this lawyer. He was trying to wiggle his way out of loving people he didn't like. He comes across as smug and self-righteous.
But as I type those words, I know I am the one acting self-righteous. It's ironic, isn't it? I struggle to feel compassion for the person I see as compassionless! I am no better than the lawyer. Jesus' words challenge both of us.
And who knows? Maybe something in the lawyer began to change that day. I pray I am changing, and change takes time for all of us. Every small step we take toward compassion brings us closer to living out God's Kingdom on earth. Though the lawyer couldn't say the "S" word, he still answered Jesus' question correctly.
He knew what goodness looked like, even when it was done by someone he didn't consider all that good.
Questions to Ponder:
How do you think the Jewish man in the parable felt when he learned that a Samaritan rescued him?
Take some time to slowly go through the fill-in-the-blank exercise above. How would it feel to show compassion to the person (or group) you wrote in? How would it feel to receive compassion from them? How can you take one small step to extend kindness to this person or group in your daily life?
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“I Wish I Could Unsee This!”
Parable of the Good Samaritan, Part 3
This Week's Bible Reading: Luke 10:25-37 (focus on verses 30-35)
Supporting Passage: Leviticus 21:1-4
Last week, we explored the rocky relationship between Jews and Samaritans. This tension provides the backdrop for the Good Samaritan parable. Today, let's start looking at the story itself.
When someone tells a story, who do you imagine as the main character? Most of the time, we picture someone like ourselves. When Jesus began his story with "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho...", his audience would have assumed the man was Jewish—one of their own.
The trek from Jerusalem to Jericho was dangerous. The path is a winding road filled with lots of hills and crevices for bandits to hide in. It would not be a surprise to hear that ruffians attacked this traveler and left him for dead.
A priest and a Levite are traveling along the same road. They had probably just finished serving at the Temple in Jerusalem and were on their way home. Both of these religious men see the injured man but go out of their way to avoid him. Why?
One theory is that they did not want to risk defiling themselves. Priests had to follow specific rules to keep themselves clean. One of these rules prohibited contact with a dead body. Maybe the priest was hesitant to approach the injured man because he feared the man was already dead.
While this sounds like a valid excuse, it's, well, ... rubbish. (I apologize for using such strong language!)
This mindset does not reflect the heart of God. In Part 1 of this series, we talked about how God always wanted his people to love their neighbor. No law is at odds with that. As scholar Klyne Snodgrass puts it, "Nothing—not even purity laws—legitimately stood in the way of saving a life."
We may not be bound by the same purity laws as ancient priests, but it's still easy to come up with our own "noble" excuses for why we can't get involved in a situation. We think, I'd love to help, but associating with that kind of person could ruin my reputation. Or, I would help, but their life choices have led them here, and they need to learn a lesson. I know I've had these thoughts at times. The fear of getting caught up in another person's mess is real.
In these moments, it's helpful to remember what God values. Speaking through the Old Testament prophet Hosea, God says, "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings" (6:6, NIV). And in the New Testament, the apostle Paul talks about the fruit of the Spirit, which includes the attributes of love, kindness, and goodness. He says, "Against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:23, NIV).
There is a second reason for why the priest and Levite may have walked by the injured man. This reason is less self-righteous than the first, but maybe more common for us. What if stopping to help wasn't the most practical thing to do?
In my research of this parable, I discovered that Jericho is about seventeen miles from Jerusalem. I never knew this, and it brings a whole new dimension to the story. This wasn't an easy walk to the 7-11 half a block down the street! Maybe the sun was setting, and the priest and Levite were hurrying to reach their destination before dark. They couldn't justify stopping. Maybe they assumed somebody else was already getting help. Or perhaps they feared that if they stopped, they would become the robbers' next victim.
Jesus made it a point to say all three travelers "saw" the injured man. But the Samaritan took two additional actions: he "came to where [the man] was" and "had compassion" (v. 33, ESV). These are the three steps we need to take to love our neighbor. It starts with seeing them, but it cannot end there. We must also come near to their pain and offer them compassion. This is often inconvenient and uncomfortable.
As the priest and Levite walked past the man, I wonder if they thought, I wish I could unsee this! They tried their best to get the image of the beaten man out of their head as they continued down the road. We all have things we wish we could unsee.
One morning, I had my own "I wish I could unsee this!" moment. I was on my mobilized scooter heading to Panera to do some work. My mind was racing with everything I "had to" get done that day. As I approached the entrance of Panera, I saw a woman sitting at one of the tables outside. We smiled politely at each other.
"How are you?" she asked me.
"Good," I replied. Then I added the obligatory, "How are you?" But I didn't wait to get an answer. I continued to roll past her into Panera, expecting her to say, "Good," as well.
But she didn't. As I strolled on, I heard her say, "Not so great." I was stunned by her response. I thought about turning back around and talking to her. But instead, I went on with my day.
What small act of compassion might I have offered her in that moment? Maybe I could have bought her a bagel and a coffee. Maybe I could have listened to her for a few minutes. All I know is I missed an opportunity to love my neighbor. And for the rest of the day, I regretted it. Even now—two years later—I can vividly picture the scene in my head.
We all have moments like this. God doesn't want us to beat ourselves up over past mistakes. But he does want us to learn from them. On that day, I was reminded of how easy it is to put practicality over love. The good news is God offers us new opportunities each day to show his love to others.
In God's Kingdom, it's not enough to simply see our neighbor. We must also be willing to set aside our plans to step into another person's mess.
Questions to Ponder:
What are some "noble” excuses Christians make up for not helping others? When are you most tempted to use some of these reasons?
Why is it sometimes uncomfortable or inconvenient to come near to a person in pain and step into their mess? Who is someone who has done this for you?
Have you ever had an "I wish I could unsee this!" moment where you could have helped someone but didn't? How can you move forward in God's forgiveness, knowing there will be more opportunities to "see, come near, and have compassion"?
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City of the Senseless
Parable of the Good Samaritan, Part 2
This Week's Bible Reading: Luke 10:25-37
Supporting Passages: Luke 9:51-56; John 4:1-26
A few weeks ago, we explored the parable of the Rich Fool. I pointed out that it was one of the few parables where Jesus takes on a topic directly. Jesus tackled the subject of greed by telling a story about a man who hoarded his possessions.
The Good Samaritan also falls into this category of parables. Jesus used this story to directly address the command to love your neighbor. The Samaritan’s compassion for the injured man is not a metaphor for some other topic.
[SIDENOTE: There are a few commentators who would disagree with this me on this. Some see this parable as purely an allegory for the way Jesus saved us. I do not dismiss this view entirely, and we will explore it in a few weeks. But first and foremost, I believe Jesus used this parable to tackle the lawyer's question about who our neighbor is.]
We commonly associate the word Samaritan with someone who goes out of their way to help others. But this was not its original meaning. To truly appreciate the story's twist ending, we need to understand the history of bad blood between the Jews and Samaritans.
The feud between these two groups began centuries before Jesus. When the Assyrians conquered northern Israel, they intermarried with the Jews. Their descendants became known as Samaritans because Samaria was the capital of Israel.
The Jews saw Samaritans as half-breeds. Though they had similar views on God, the Samaritans built a different temple to worship him in. (This is why when Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well, she says, "Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem" [John 4:20, NIV].)
At times, their feud seemed like nothing more than a petty practical joke war. For example, the Jews had a ritual of lighting fires to signal the new year. So, the Samaritans got the clever idea to light fires at random intervals to confuse them. I guess this would be like someone in your neighborhood shooting off a massive fireworks display in the middle of September!
But other times, things got violent. Several years after Jesus' death, in about 50 A.D., Samaritans slaughtered a group of Jews traveling through Samaria. In response, Jews burned down some Samaritan villages.
As I researched the tension between Jews and Samaritans, I came across a quote that perfectly sums it up. This quote comes from an ancient writing called the Testament of Levi. The author is discussing Shechem, a major Samaritan city:
Shechem shall be called "City of the Senseless," because as one might scoff at a fool, so we scoffed at them. (7:2)
City of the Senseless! That sounds like a jab a modern-day politician might make, right?
Imagine a candidate for mayor saying, "We don't want to turn into that city over there, run by those senseless liberals." Or, "If you don't vote for me, we'll become like that city run by backward conservatives."
Here's why I bring this up: While we may not understand the animosity between Jews and Samaritans, we carry our own disdain for certain people. Jesus' parable has something to say to us about who our neighbors are and how to love them well.
Despite their hatred for each other, Jews and Samaritans still crossed paths in everyday life. In the parable, the Samaritan was coming back from Jerusalem. He may have been doing business there.
In the same way, we can't completely avoid the people we're not fond of. They may be our co-workers, the people in line at the grocery store, or our literal neighbors across the street. They may even sit next to us at church! We might not "hate" them the way Jews and Samaritans hated each other. But we still try to limit contact with them as much as possible.
Have you ever seen somebody approaching you—maybe after church or while doing yard work—and immediately start looking for a way to escape? You don't want to get cornered by them and hear them drone on about some heated topic. I'm not proud to say I've felt this way before. (The temptation to give them the slip doubles when I'm on my mobilized scooter—especially knowing they can't catch me if I floor it!)
One chapter before Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan, he and his disciples set out for Jerusalem. Jesus attempts to cut through a Samaritan village, but the locals do not want him there. This makes the disciples angry. Here is how they respond:
When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, "Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them. So they went on to another village. (Luke 9:54–56, NLT)
It's funny to me how nonchalant James and John are about calling down fire to burn up an entire village of people. Of course this is how Jesus wants us to deal with this senseless city, right? But then again, I can't judge them too much. Far too often, I am quick to write people off based on something I don't like about them.
This is why the parable of the Good Samaritan is more than a tale about doing good deeds. Jesus steps into all this bad blood—both in his day and ours—and shows us a better way to live. He challenges the idea that only certain people deserve our love.
In God's Kingdom, withholding compassion from another person is the most senseless thing we can do.
Questions to Ponder:
Does knowing a little bit of the history between Jews and Samaritans (and we've barely scratched the surface here!) change the way you view this parable? What else have you heard about the conflict between these groups?
Is there any person (or group of people) you try to avoid because you see them as "senseless"? How can you engage with them in a loving way, even if you disagree with their views?
In John 8:48, people try to write Jesus off by calling him "a Samaritan and demon-possessed." What are some ways we try to write people off by applying labels to them? How can we see them as neighbors worthy of our compassion instead?
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The Offensive Parable
Parable of the Good Samaritan, Part 1
This Week's Bible Reading: Luke 10:25-37
Supporting Passage: Matthew 5:17-20
In the series finale of the show Seinfeld, Jerry and the gang witness a man getting carjacked. Instead of intervening, they record the crime and make jokes at the man's expense. But when the cops arrive, they are arrested and sent to jail. It turns out the town has a Good Samaritan law on the books. You are held responsible if you see someone in trouble and fail to help them!
As we near the end of our journey through the parables of Jesus, I saved one of my favorite stories for last: The Good Samaritan. It's a well-known tale. Robbers attack a man and leave him for dead at the side of the road. A priest happens to walk by but doesn't do anything to help the man. A Levite also strolls past him but doesn't stop to lend a hand, either. (A Levite was someone who assisted priests in the Temple.) But then, "a despised Samaritan" (v. 33, NLT) comes along and nurses the man back to health.
Jesus' parables are more than moral fables. But out of all his stories, the Good Samaritan is the one most likely to be put in this category. It's easy to oversimplify it and think the main takeaway is to help others even when it is inconvenient. In our modern culture, a Good Samaritan is a person who does exactly that. It's common to hear phrases like, "I was stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire until some Good Samaritan came by and helped."
While it's always good to be aware of the needs of those around us, Jesus was doing something bigger with this story. He was showing us that in God's Kingdom, we do not get to decide who is worthy of our love and who isn't.
The truth is, this parable is not the benign little story many people think it is. Jesus made the hero a Samaritan, a twist that would have shocked and offended the people who heard it. Next week, we'll explore who Samaritans were and why there was bad blood between them and Jewish people. Today, let's look at what prompted Jesus to tell this tale.
In Luke 10, a lawyer comes to Jesus with a question:
One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: "Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus replied, "What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?"
The man answered, "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
"Right!" Jesus told him. "Do this and you will live!" (Luke 10:25–28, NLT)
Jesus' answer may seem strange. Shouldn't his answer to this question always be, "Believe in me and follow me."?
Remember—Jesus dealt with people as individuals. He was always prodding to get to the real issue behind the question. In this case, the lawyer was trying to "test" Jesus. But what was the test about?
Maybe this lawyer saw Jesus hanging out with sinners and tax collectors. This made him uncomfortable. He wondered if Jesus was a heretic who didn't take Old Testament law (i.e., the law of Moses) seriously. After all, Jesus didn't seem to mind getting his hands dirty. And so the lawyer was trying to get a sense of where Jesus' true loyalty lay.
But surprisingly, Jesus gives the standard answer most rabbis at that time would have given. There was nothing controversial about it. He asks the lawyer what the law of Moses says. (Ironically, the same law that many Pharisees have accused Jesus of breaking!)
This point is crucial as we begin to look at the parable of the Good Samaritan. Sometimes, it's easy to pit the Old Testament and New Testament against each other. The God of the Old Testament is full of wrath, and then Jesus comes along full of love. But when the lawyer answers Jesus’ question with, "Love God and love your neighbor," he quotes from the Old Testament.
The love God part comes from Deuteronomy 6:5 (known as the Shema prayer): "And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength." Jewish males recited this verse twice a day.
And the love your neighbor part comes from Leviticus 19:18: "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD."
God always wanted his people to love their neighbors. The lawyer knew that. The real question (and perhaps the real test he had in mind for Jesus) came next:
The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" (Luke 10:29, NLT)
Jesus responds by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan. With this story, Jesus isn't inventing anything new. Instead, he is showing us how to live out what God has already commanded.
Was Jesus taking the command to love your neighbor too far, as some had suspected?
Jesus' answer could end up offending everyone.
Questions to Ponder:
Take some time to read the parable of the Good Samaritan and write down any initial thoughts you have.
What are some ways our culture uses the phrase "Good Samaritan"? How might the parable's message differ from the way our culture usually interprets it?
In Matthew 5:17, Jesus says, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." How is Jesus fulfilling the Old Testament law to love your neighbor with this parable?
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