Better to Be Humble than Right

Confident Hope Jesus Teaches about Hope Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5)    An Attitude of Gratitude Luke 17:1-10 The Message A Kernel of Faith 17 1-2 He said to his disciples, “Hard trials and temptations are bound to come, but too bad for whoever brings them on! Better to wear a concrete vest and take a swim with the fishes than give even one of these dear little ones a hard time! 3-4 “Be alert. If you see your friend going wrong, correct him. If he responds, forgive him. Even if it’s personal against you and repeated seven times through the day, and seven times he says, ‘I’m sorry, I won’t do it again,’ forgive him.” 5 The apostles came up and said to the Master, “Give us more faith.” 6 But the Master said, “You don’t need more faith. There is no ‘more’ or ‘less’ in faith. If you have a bare kernel of faith, say the size of a poppy seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, ‘Go jump in the lake,’ and it would do it. 7-10 “Suppose one of you has a servant who comes in from plowing the field or tending the sheep. Would you take his coat, set the table, and say, ‘Sit down and eat? Wouldn’t you be more likely to say, ‘Prepare dinner; change your clothes and wait table for me until I’ve finished my coffee; then go to the kitchen and have your supper’? Does the servant get special thanks for doing what’s expected of him? It’s the same with you. When you’ve done everything expected of you, be matter-of-fact and say, ‘The work is done. What we were told to do, we did.’” For Reflection Each day our challenge is to stay in the Kingdom Moment. We face far more modest than dramatic trials.  Becoming a Christian requires accepting expectations of tribulations, great and small. Humility will allow you to swim with the fish in a concrete vest and not panic. Choosing creative responses which improve the attraction of another is a paradoxical expectation. Employed over time, the desire to act in love will become second nature, and the desire to defend oneself will diminish. Greeting a stranger with good wishes or thanking a cashier at the grocery using their name (It's pinned to their chest!) will produce an unexpected smile. Pray Pray and accept the new paths that God will place before you.  Pray and embrace the challenges of your transformation. Pray and be amazed at your power to heal. Forward to a friend