I woke up this morning, with a biblical text moving through
my mind. That doesn’t always happen, so
I paid extra attention as the new day was dawning. And, this is that text: “For I
am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone
who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” This is Romans 1:16 from the New Revised
Standard Version. The good news is
powerful. Even in his death on the cross—especially
his death on the cross—Jesus shows us the power of God to bring salvation, to
change lives, to transform our troubles, and to reach across the terrible divides
that separate and destroy relationships.
This morning, the words that sound the loudest are these, “and
also.” The gospel is expansive in
its reach. It is not just for the
salvation of the Jews; rather, it is also for the Gentiles, for the non-Jews,
for the nations of the world. The author
is Paul. The apostle was proud of his
heritage, and rightly so. But, he came
to see that everyone—all others all around the world were also included in the
gospel’s powerful grasp. God loves and
accepts everybody. The outstretched arms
of our Savior embrace all with life not just when we die, but right now.
This gospel is so different from the divisive, hateful rhetoric
we hear blasted at us from our politicians and pundits in these days. When trouble comes, it is so easy to point at
someone else and make them our scapegoat.
Perhaps it is human nature to separate ourselves from others and to
focus on our differences rather than to see the other person as our
kindred. All share the love of God. All share the life of Jesus Christ. All share the power of the Holy Spirit.
Well, it’s morning. It’s
a new day in an old world. I choose to
dwell this day with a verse of scripture that inspires me. I will look for every opportunity to live the
power of the gospel in my relationships—especially in my encounters with those
who seem so different and difficult, those scary ones. I will listen to them. I will imagine loving them as God loves
them. I will do what I can while I can
to stand with those who are ostracized, vilified, criminalized, and left to fend
for themselves. The gospel is power to
change minds and open hearts. The gospel
is the power of God to change the world.
And, in fact, it has already changed me again today.
Thank you, God! Thank
you!
