Rumination Journal

“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side. But when a Samaritan on a journey came upon him, he looked at him and had compassion. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.” — Luke 10:30-37     Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan in response to a question: “Who is my neighbor?” The question came from an expert in the law who already knew the commandment to love his neighbor as himself. But Luke tells us that the man wanted to justify himself. He wanted to know where the boundaries of neighborly responsibility could be drawn. Whom was he required to love? Jesus answered by t...

“It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” — Matthew 20:26-28     Our world has many ways of measuring greatness. We often associate it with position, influence, achievement, wealth, recognition, or authority. The greater a person becomes, we may assume, the more people work for that person, listen to that person, or respond to that person’s wishes. Jesus turned that understanding upside down. The setting of His teaching is revealing. The mother of James and John had approached Jesus asking that her sons receive places of special honor in His kingdom. When the other disciples heard about the request, they became indignant. Beneath the disagreement was a very human concern: Who would be greatest? Who would receive the most important position? Who wou...

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” — Philippians 2:3-4     Most of us naturally see life from our own point of view. We know our responsibilities, our worries, our hopes, our schedules, and our needs. When life becomes busy or difficult, our field of vision can narrow even further. We become so occupied with what we need to accomplish or manage that we may fail to notice what someone beside us is carrying. Paul invites us to widen our vision. “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Notice that Paul does not say we should have no concern for ourselves. Caring appropriately for our own physical, emotional, and spiritual needs is part of responsible living. His challenge is that our concern must not stop with ourselves. Christian love teaches us to notic...

“When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His outer garments, He reclined with them again and asked, ‘Do you know what I have done for you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, because I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you. Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.’” — John 13:12-17     On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus knew that His time with the disciples was growing short. There were many things He could have chosen to emphasize in those final hours. Yet one of the lessons He wanted His followers to remember was so important that He did not merely teach it with words. He wrapped a towel around His waist, poured water into a basin, knelt before His disciples, and washed their feet. In ...

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” — 1 Corinthians 15:58     There are few things more discouraging than feeling that our efforts have been wasted. We invest time, energy, prayer, and love into something, hoping that it will make a difference. Yet sometimes the results are difficult to see. A ministry struggles. A person we have tried to help continues to struggle. A prayer seems unanswered. A good effort appears to accomplish very little. In moments like these, we may quietly wonder whether what we are doing really matters. Paul offers a powerful answer: “Your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” These words become even more meaningful when we consider where they appear. First Corinthians 15 is Paul’s great discussion of the resurrection. He proclaims that Christ has been raised from the dead and that those who belong to Christ will also share in resurre...

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another. Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” — Romans 12:10-11   It is possible to serve without love. We can fulfill responsibilities because they are expected of us, complete tasks simply because they need to be done, or continue participating in a ministry long after our hearts have become disconnected from the reason we began. Outwardly, we may still appear faithful. Inwardly, however, service can slowly become little more than routine. Paul invites us to something deeper. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.” Christian service is not simply about accomplishing tasks. It is about loving people. The work matters, but so do the people for whom the work is being done. In fact, the people are often the reason the work matters in the first place. The word devoted suggests more than casual concern. It describes an affection that resembles the bonds of a lo...