Daily Devotionals
March 31, 2022
Giving
DAILY READING
What we love about the parable of the Lost Sheep (and most of Jesus’ parables for that matter) is how it gleefully rejects the modern rules of our society.
“Doesn’t the shepherd leave the 99 in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?”
“Uh, No, Jesus. I’d say 99 out of 100 is pretty good. That’s an A in Williamson County Schools.”
In a world of scorecards, performance reviews, and productivity metrics, Jesus cares about the one. So much so, that he leaves the 99. Jesus’ love for us does not conform to the pattern of this world, because it is not of this world.
Lent invites us – in a world centered on self-preservation – to think, act, and love like Jesus, to deny ourselves and to grow closer to Jesus’ vision for the world. The Parable of the Lost Sheep is both a comfort and a challenge. It is a comfort to the one that is lost and a challenge to the one that is comfortable. This parable holds two truths in the same breath. May we be reminded during this Lenten season of what Jesus gives up to find the one.
ACTION FOR THE DAY
Measure one day this week in the way of Jesus instead of the way of this world (your productivity, sales, social media likes, or grades). For example, measure how much time you spend laughing with your family. Give up the comfortable in order to find Jesus’ vision for the world.
BE A FIELD GUIDE WRITER
We are recruiting individuals to help write our daily field guide devotionals. If you are interested in writing one weekly devotional, please contact Jason Alteri at jalteri@bumc.net.