Sainthood?

DAILY READING

Philippians 1:1-11

When beginning letters and emails, I usually start with “Dear St. _____.”  Many reply, “I am not a saint.” 

Today, the title “saint” implies achieving a super-spiritual level. But Paul uses it to mean “brothers and sisters in Christ.” Paul designates a saint as one on a journey, growing in oneness with Christ. He says to the saints, “I am confident in this that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion . . .”

Paul struggled with sin and hardships. (“ I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” – Romans 7:15). Mother Teresa had forty years of “dark nights of the soul.” Yet after they both died, the church looked back on their lives (and others), affirming they were “saints” in the super-spiritual sense.

Like Paul, I pray for all of us (saints) to grow such “that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:9-11).

The bottom line: in the Bible, a saint is one on a journey growing into oneness with Christ.

QUESTIONS FOR THE FIELD

• Who are saints (Christians on a journey growing with Christ) you admire?
• In your pilgrimage, in what ways are you growing spiritually with Christ?
• What one thing might I do today as I follow Christ?

FAMILY FIELD TALK

• Dialogue about the qualities of Jesus that family members admire.
• Starting with the oldest family member, have each person affirm the qualities of Christ observable in that person’s life. Continue until each person is affirmed. Examples: “Dad, I notice that you listen in the way I believe Jesus wants you to listen.” “Mom, you care for me the way Jesus would.”
• Starting with the oldest family member, have each person state what characteristic of Jesus in which he/she wants to grow. 

PRAYER GUIDE

Dear loving God, we thank you for your gracious love towards us despite our failures. Thank you for our journey with you and other saints (sisters and brothers). Please help us live such that people see you through all we say and do. At the end of today, may you say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” In your gracious name, we ask. Amen.

WRITE FOR THE FIELD GUIDE

Are you inspired by the Daily Field Guide devotions each week? You can inspire others in the congregation with your reflections on God’s word by becoming a Field Guide author! Contact Jason Alteri at jalteri@bumc.net to learn more.