They said, "Where did this man get all this?
What kind of wisdom has been given him?
What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!
Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary..."
Mark 6:2-3
What kind of wisdom has been given him?
What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!
Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary..."
Mark 6:2-3
I am so like the people from Jesus' hometown. I am so quick to dismiss things I encounter in life as ordinary, instead of seeing what is beneath the surface. The people in today's Gospel immediately dismiss Jesus because he's the guy they've known for 30 years. He lived down the street and worked as the town's carpenter - nothing extraordinary about that!
We find it best to confine our encounters with God to amazing places or events... sort of like the 4th of July fireworks. We want God to work miracles that shimmer and shine like the fireworks. What we forget is that the normative way God works is in the ordinariness of life - in the people we share a cook-out with, and the people in our own homes. We also forget we bring Christ to others - to the cashier at the grocery store, the person in the parking lot, the grouchy neighbor across the street.
The next time you're stuck behind a slow driver, instead of becoming agitated, use it as a time to reflect on the beauty of God's creation all around you. When you're in line behind the person with 300 coupons, smile at the child in the cart - you might be the only kind smile the child sees that day.
While we enjoy the fireworks this weekend be thankful for the miracles God has given you glimpses of, but also be grateful for his constant care and support that comes in the ordinariness of your life.
Please share your thoughts with us by posting a comment.
No comments:
Post a Comment