Reflecting Jesus
by Kelli Wong, Director of Hospitality, Finance, and Human Resources
Again the Jews who had challenged Him (Jesus) picked up stones to kill Him. But Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. Which good work are you throwing stones at Me for?”
“We are not throwing stones at You for any good work,” they replied. “We are stoning You for saying a very evil thing. You are only a man. But You claim to be God.” Jesus answered them, “Didn’t God say in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods?’” (Psalm 82:6) We know that Scripture is always true. God spoke to some people and called them ‘gods.’ If that is true, what about the one the Father set apart as His very own? What about this one the Father sent into the world? Why do you charge Me with saying a very evil thing? Is it because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? Don’t believe Me unless I do the works of My Father. But what if I do them? Even if you don’t believe Me, believe these works. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in Me and I am in the Father.”
Again they tried to arrest Him. But He escaped from them. Then Jesus went back across the Jordan River. He went to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There He stayed. Many people came to Him. They said, “John never performed a sign. But everything he said about this man was true.” And in that place many believed in Jesus. (John 10:31-42)
In this passage we see how the community around Jesus challenged His claim to be God, and learned from the way Jesus responded. As I consider the claims that I make, there is one that stands out; a claim that I’d like others to find believable: that I am a disciple of Jesus. Part of the family of Jesus.
God’s heart for us is to know Him as our loving, heavenly Father, and He invites us to be His adopted sons and daughters. As I pursue the transformation that comes from the love of Christ, I am encouraged to remember the example of Jesus, to be mindful of the things that I say and the things that I do (in His name). And let it be that wherever we go or stay, we would be a people that leads others to believe in Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, help us to find humility before You and among our brothers and sisters around us. I pray that You would help us pursue our spiritual formation and be transformed today, that we would demonstrate Your heart and love for humanity through our words and actions. Holy Spirit, we invite You into our lives. Let us see the work of Your love in our day, we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
