Isaiah 48:17-19; Matthew 11:16-19
Community Health Services
After reading the Gospel for today, I thought about times when I have been in a group and someone points their finger at someone else. That is, they call attention to some wrong another person is doing. For example they might say, “What does she think …spending all that money on vacation when her Tommy needs braces?” Or, “What’s Joe thinking… to wearing old blue jeans to the party.” And on it goes.
Matthew tells us in Chapter 11: 16-19, “…for John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The son of man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.” Both John and Jesus withstood lots of criticism for not eating, for eating too much, or for eating with the wrong people. It seems that today is not much different. Many people follow the same critical practice with their friends and neighbors.
During this Advent, what can you and I do to promote a more accepting attitude toward our friends, neighbors, and co-workers? What can we do when someone in a group starts to point fingers or to make a critical comment or judgment about another? Perhaps we could bring up a good point or say something kind about that person.
Jesus, it is my prayer today that I may become more accepting of all God’s children.
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