God’s providential care

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

A little boy came running to his mother, shouting, “Mother, I am nine feet tall.” His mother responded, “Don’t talk such nonsense.” “But,” he said, “I really am nine feet tall. I measured myself.” “Well, how did you measure yourself?” asked his mother. “I took off my shoe and measured myself with that. It is the same size as my foot, and I am really nine feet.” With a smile the mother replied: “Now I understand, but I have to tell you that your instrument for measuring  was not the right one. We do not measure ourselves by the size of our own feet, but we must use a 12-inch ruler.” Paul reminds us that, “Those who measure themselves by themselves ... are not wise.

Our world can be transformed if we take Jesus seriously. Our task is to collaborate with him and to live on a higher level of loving than we have imagined possible. We are called to go beyond loving our neighbour as ourselves, beyond loving only those who love us, beyond only loving nice people. We are to love our enemies, do good to them, pray for them, wish them well! The question then arises, “what then shall we pray for now?

Jesus invites us to respond to the world as he did – loving, blessing, praying and offering. We are called to do this not only where there is something of which we approve, but in all circumstances. May we ask God to remove any way of seeing which causes us to distrust, to judge, to condemn or to hold back. May we pray for patience to endure difficult circumstances and courage to be able to confront them as well as we can.

Giver of the most expensive gift of all, 

help us to learn from you.

May we who are so adept at catering 

for our own wants,

make ourselves more vulnerable 

to the needs of others.

Let us live unselfishly and more sensitively, 

that we may spread love’s fragrance

wherever the odour of cynicism 

and despair hangs in the air.

Through Jesus Christ, our Saviour.

Amen!