WATCHWORD:
30-33 The man replied, “This is amazing! You claim to know nothing about him, but the fact is, he opened my eyes! It’s well known that God isn’t at the beck and call of sinners, but listens carefully to anyone who lives in reverence and does his will. That someone opened the eyes of a man born blind has never been heard of—ever. If this man didn’t come from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.” 34 They said, “You’re nothing but dirt! How dare you take that tone with us!” Then they threw him out in the street. 35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and went and found him. He asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 The man said, “Point him out to me, sir, so that I can believe in him.” 37 Jesus said, “You’re looking right at him. Don’t you recognize my voice?” John 9:30-37 The Message
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
Meditation:
GOAT
I first heard the word GOAT during a sports broadcast when the two announcers were debating who was the best, who would be going into the Hall of Fame. In other words, who was the Greatest Of All Time, the GOAT. They, of course, were considering the talents that the athlete displayed on the field, the court, the pool. They were not talking about the kind of person they were part from their prowess in their athletic event.
Let’s start with the basics, what do we mean by the word great? The Oxford Dictionary uses phrases like “considerably above normal or average.” Sometimes great is used to describe size, such as the Great Horned Owl, or an elephant is great-big.
We talked about the Great Commandment, loving God with all your heart and mind and soul, and the second greatest is to Love others as God loves you. Against those commands, how do we measure up? The word Great is used in this commandment to connote its primary value, it is indeed the greatest. The Greatest Of All Times, our faith-based GOAT?
I am sorry, I can’t use that term, GOAT, in reference to my Lord and Savior. It is demeaning, and does not belong in our praising and reverence for the Creator God. Use it in reference to a talented athlete or a chess champion, or a mountain climber, but keep that term in those categories and not in our worship.
Do we view that Command from our Lord as the most important guide in our lives? Are we loving the Lord with all of our heart, mind, and soul? Is that primacy reflected in the way we live our lives, day after day? And that second part of the command, loving others as God loves us, how are we doing there? Don’t worry about how other people may view us, how would the Lord view our efforts in following his commands?
C. S. Lewis, in his great sermon, Weight of Glory, makes this statement that we should take to heart: “Meanwhile, the Cross comes before the Crown, and tomorrow is Monday.” Day to day, we are tested, the Cross, and we are confronted with circumstances that requires a response. Are they in line with those two Commandments, the Crown?
How would you grade yourself? How do you think the Lord would view your self-evaluation during that time of testing? Is it time to take inventory? And tomorrow is coming! Amen.
On Your Faith Journey:
Smile at a grouch. Encourage a friend. Wear your seat belt. Praise God all day long. Suggest a Watchword subject to Stan.
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father, You are the Creator God, the creator of all things. This world, the Vast expanse of space populated by billions of stars. This is all Your doing. You did all that and You created me. Forgive me when I wonder why You would grant me all these Graces that I experience in my life, because, Lord, I know why You did that. Lord You gifted me with those graces so that I could pass them on to others. So now, Lord, I ask for the strength and the boldness to receive your graces and, in turn, to touch others with them. It’s with great gratitude that I revel in the fact that I am a child of Yours, I am brother to Jesus my Lord and Savior and its in His name that I offer these prayers. Amen.
