Christian Counseling Service -- Devotions

Sons and daughters

Monday, December 28, 2009

Matthew 2:1-11
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him ...

Why should the others in Jerusalem be disturbed? Probably because if they weren't, Herod would have killed them. What bothered Herod had to bother those around him.

Of course this is in not unity, it is uniformity. Unity is a goal most of us admire, but uniformity appeals to no one except those in charge.

Unity in diversity means that we are different on the foundation of a deeper commonality. It could be our politics or our religion or our race. Or it could be God. But God is elusive; God doesn't settle for being the "object" in our lives. God is always the subject; he is always in charge; he is always the initiator.

So when I seek unity based on anything in my own mind or life, I run into problems. This morning I made a list of differences that divide us, and I was astounded at the length of the list, which I'm sure is not complete. What we do NOT have in common are our personal traits, emotions, opinions, beliefs or talents. Each of us has different spiritual gifts, experiences, memories, work, finances and relationships. We each have a unique relationship and understanding of our religion. We make our own choices. And perhaps most of all, we have personal pain, illness, genealogy, disabilities and failure. All of this divides us from one another.

There is only one thing that brings us together. God and me, God and you, God and each of us ... God is what we have in common. Our Father made us each entirely unique, but He also makes acceptance of all others possible. As difficult as that may be to imagine sometimes.

Here is how David Keirsey puts it in Please Understand Me: "To put up with me is the first step to understanding me. And in understanding me you might come to prize my differences from you, and, far from seeking to change me, preserve and even nurture those differences."

And the story of baby Jesus continues...

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: "'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'"

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

When we try to trap each other in snares of own making, rescue us, O Lord. Rescue us from ourselves and from each other. Be our Father. Let me see myself every day as your son, and every one of those around me as your sons and daughters.

Devotions Archive

Sons and daughters

Monday, December 28, 2009