Sermon - 2019-01-27

Our sense of touch, feel, hearing, seeing, and smell.  Are so very important to us. They are how we understand the world around us.  They are how we begin to understand what is good, what will harm us and what will be within our life.  Now it is through these five senses that we also will use different parts of our own body. Take for example the sense of touch.  For many of us, when we want to touch something, we will use our hands and particularly our figures in order or get a sense. However, when we want to feel something soft and more delicate, we will actually use our cheek.  Does anyone know why that is? Our different parts of our bodies are designed to do different things and in different ways. Could I walk on my hands? Sure but then my head would not be at a height to see.

Today, Paul reminds the people that we should not discredit something just because it is different.  We should celebrate in our diversity. For it is through the whole collection of senses and body parts that we are who we are.  A reminder for each of us that we should not look down on one part of own body or one part of the Creation. We need to understand the whole aspect and how it is all working together in who we are and what God has created.  

We are so good at identifying the ways in which we are different, especially when they are on the surface.  We can tell that someone is taller or shorter. We can see when someone has blonde, red, brown or black hair.  We can see those differences that make us who we are. However, there are other qualities that we need to be reminded of that we can not see.  For example, we can not always tell from the outside of a person: who is faster, who is smarter, who is more caring, or who is (whatever you are trying to evaluate that you must observe).  These are but a few of the ways of in which we categorize others.

But I wonder how does God evaluate us?  When God looks upon us is it by the outward features that we are judged?  NO. What we are evaluated on are things that we must observe a person doing, but it is simply doing the act.  No, Jesus reminds us that it is through the motivation in our heart of serving God and serving our neighbor who is in need of such a service in which we are truly judged.  

However this means that we do not have a measuring tape, a checklist of things to do, or other measuring device that we would so often like to have or call others out on.  What we do have is an inspiration and guidance from Jesus. So Jesus sets the line of who we are. However, when God does look upon us, he truly looks at our hearts behind why we are doing the work in our lives.  Are we doing it for our own gratification or glory? Are we doing it for someone else? Or are we doing it for God?

These are important distinctions but only comes to us through reflection, personal reflection and understand.  Today, may you take some time to reflect upon your life and discover when and what God is helping you to realize in your life and your faith.