December 13, 2021
Remember those who build our faith
An excerpt from Hebrews 13:7-8 (NRSV)
Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Reflection from Donna Shelton:
Teachers come in many guises. We are most familiar with the priest, the minister, the rabbi, the nun. And indeed, they are best able to teach us the scriptures and explain their meaning. Yet in small children, I find some of the most precious teachers of all. In their innocence and simplicity, they show us basic tenets of Christianity at work. How love grows when it is shared. How powerfully a smile can change a bad moment into a good one. See how they delight in exploring the natural world and appreciating its diversity and beauty.They remind us that what we learn from our teachers needs to be put into practice in order to benefit from the lesson. Walking beside the little ones, and seeing the world through their eyes, teaches us how to regain that uncritical appreciation for all that we have been given.
Stained glass window from the Nave of Trinity Church
For further study and prayer, the readings assigned for today are:
Isaiah 11:1-9; Numbers 16:1-19; Hebrews 13:7-17
Music:
“Up to the Mountain”
text by Martin Luther King Jr,; music by Patty Griffin
“Sometimes I lay down, no more can I do;
but then I go on again because you ask me to.”