Jeremy L. Berg

I’m pleased to introduce a new Daily Luminary, my friend Mike Fox, whose Bible reflections we’ll be featuring occasionally in the weeks ahead.  Enjoy!  And if you or somebody you know would like to share a written piece at Daily Illumination please send it my way.  -JB

Matt 25:37-40

   ³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 

   ⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Recently, I came home from work and, as I usually do, greeted my wife with a hug and kiss.  We talked about the events of the day and ate supper.  After supper, she asked me what I thought of her hair cut. As soon as she called attention to her hair, I could see it was shorter, but until that moment I hadn’t noticed!  I expected to see the same Suzi I left that morning.  If I can miss seeing something that obvious on a person important to me, how often do I miss seeing God’s hand in my life?

There is a man I work with.  He wears rings in his ears.  His arms are heavily tattooed.  He wears tight shirts that show off his bulging biceps, broad shoulders, and washboard abs.  I expected him to be crude and boorish.  When I took the time to get to know him, I discovered an intelligent, soft-spoken, man full of energy and life.  How many opportunities do I miss because I let my expectations get in the way?

On Sunday morning the choir director shared a praise about one of her high school students.  She has a student who doesn’t fit in and is very lonely.  She asked another one of her students to talk with the lonely student.  The expectation was there would be a conversation that, hopefully, would lead to other conversations and maybe, eventually a friendship.  What actually happened was the lonely student being invited to church and having, according to the lonely student, “the best day of her life”.  How often do we miss the miraculous because we don’t expect it?

At least for me there are several lessons to be learned in these anecdotes.

1. Keep my eyes open.  Look for God in the people and situations around me.
2. Keep an open mind.  Don’t judge based on external appearances.
3. Expect miracles.  Don’t limit God.  Don’t settle for the ordinary.

As followers of Christ, these thoughts should not surprise us.  Nobody expected Christ to be born in a manger.  Nobody expected Christ to come as a servant.  Nobody expected Christ to be crucified.  Nobody expected Christ to conquer death.

I want to close with another anecdote.  I was out and about the morning of Christmas Eve and stopped at Caribou.  While I was waiting for my hot chocolate, someone walked in, took $20 out of the tip jar and ran out of the store.  The staff was outraged.  My first thought was, what kind of rotten person would do something like that on Christmas.  I was immediately convicted and before those thoughts had a chance to take root, I was given a new way of looking at the situation.  I was told not to judge the thief but to pray for him and his family.

Keep my eyes open.  Keep an open mind.  Expect miracles.