February 5
Proverbs 27.17-19
17 As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.
18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and whoever protects their master will be honored.
19 As water reflects the face,
so one’s life reflects the heart.
In my years of officiating basketball I have found that most often I can see the character of the coach simply by watching the way the players handle themselves. The character of the coach influences the players. It is seen in how they deal with adversity – complaints, resignation, acceptance, argument, anger. It is seen in how they act toward the other team – rudeness, arrogance, sportsmanship. It is a metaphor of the heart (the coach) being reflected in the life (team play in the game).
The reminder for us all is that our actions come out of our being. If we see that we need to have more loving actions to people in our life, we might need to look at the nature of how we see the world with eyes of love. Do we look in judgment on those who are different, on the ones we see as less than ourselves? Do we have compassion and want to be with those in need? And it might take us one step further, to see that we are people who are love, people on whom Christ has shown compassion and grace, people who belong to God.
Seeing ourselves reflected in the way we live out the call of Christ to love neighbours. Seeing ourselves reflected in the way we follow Jesus in the daily routines of life. Then being shaped together by the grace of Christ as we follow daily and leave our sinful and hurtful ways behind us. We look inside and see that we live out of who we truly are in our inmost self. Praying that we better reflect Christ; diminishing the reflection of brokenness in which we still struggle.
Song – Love People
Prayer
Gracious God, you have called us to be a new community in Christ, and yet we remain divided. Forgive us our fear, anxiety, prejudice, and misunderstandings. Strengthen our common bonds and deepen our resolve to promote the unity of your church. Amen.