Shine Through Us

There is a story about a little girl who was on the way home from worship one Sunday morning. She turned to her mother and said, “Mommy, I didn’t understand something the pastor said this morning.” “Really,” replied mom, “what confused you?

The girl answered, “The pastor said that God is bigger than us. Is that true?” Yes,” replied the mom. “He also said that God lives within us. Is that true?” “Yes,” answered mom. “Well,” said the little girl, “If God is bigger than us and God lives in us, wouldn’t he show through?”

It’s a great question, isn’t it?

God’s love for us is unconditional. Does that love show through in our interactions with others, even those who don’t think like us, or look like us, or vote like us?

God has forgiven us. Are we able to forgive others?

God has come in Jesus who sacrificed even his life for us? Are we willing to sacrifice for others? Are we willing to sacrifice even our time and our resources to help others? Are we able to lay down our pride, our need to always be right, or get the last word?

I hope that God shows through your life and mine. By the way that we live and give and speak, I do hope that the forgiveness, love, and peace we have received shine right through us.

Let us pray: Maker of Days, Creator of all life, in you we live and move and have our being. When our hearts are open, your enormous love and amazing grace fill us to overflowing. Today we hand you our burdens, we hand you our worries, our anxiety. We offer you again the dead places in our lives. Help us to let go and make room again for your healing Spirit. May your light would shine within us and through us. Amen.