John 15:12-17 Love is an action word!

 Romans 5:7–8

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

We will know Christ followers by the fruit that is evident in their lives. Two commandments fulfill all of the teachings of God and were manifested in Jesus. These two cover a multitude of the sins of mankind. This is the will of God that we love Him above all and love our neighbors as our ourselves. By being doers not just hearers we fulfill His will  in our lives. The love of God offers salvation to the world through Jesus, all God-all man. (John 3:16-17). Just believe in the Son of God, Jesus, who gave His life in exchange for ours. Love is an action word! Carla

John 15:12-17

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, •than to lay down one’s life •for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another. (NKJV)

To abide, a believer must obey (verse 10). To obey, a believer must love other believers (13:34, 35). In rashness and with confidence in the flesh, Peter had offered to lay down his life for Jesus. In actuality, he was not ready to die for Jesus; he was not even ready to live for Him (18:17, 18, 25–27). The supreme example of love is Jesus’ humility in sacrificial service (13:15).

Jesus is our model for love (verse 13). Intimacy with Him is the motive for loving as He loves. If believers obey His command to love, they enjoy the intimacy of His friendship. Note that friendship, unlike sonship, is not a once-for-all gift, but develops as the result of obeying Jesus’ command to love.

Until this point, Jesus had called His disciples servants (12:26; 13:13–16). A servant does what he is told and sees what his master does, but does not necessarily know the meaning or purpose of it. A friend knows what is happening because friends develop deep fellowship by communicating with one another. Jesus had initiated the relationship with His disciples (1 John 4:10). It started with selection, moved to servanthood, and grew to friendship. Having chosen the disciples, Jesus commissioned them to bring forth permanent fruit through prayer. The NKJV Study Bible

The way that Jesus’ disciples reciprocate the friendship He showed them is by doing what He asked of them (verse 10). Disciples were completely subservient to their teachers. Jesus is referencing the subject matter at hand, not everything He knows. He means that He has told His disciples everything regarding salvation and what it means to follow God and obey His will. There is no secret way to receive salvation; it simply involves accepting Jesus as Savior. 

I chose you. Jesus means His disciples, whom He selected. They have been called to the vocation of doing God’s will by loving other people and telling them about Christ’s ability to save them from their sins. They are commissioned for this task.

To bear fruit Involves keeping Jesus’ commands (verses 8, 10) and being guided by His Spirit in the process of doing so (14:26). Not only must the disciples follow Jesus, but their works should align with His purposes (14:11). Faithlife Study Bible

Galatians 5:22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.

John 13:34

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 

Matthew 12:50

For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

Luke 12:4

“And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 

John 8:26

I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”

A farmer walks along the furrowed row, stopping every three feet, to place a potato start into the soil. His young son keeps pace, on the opposite side of the furrow, weighted with a burlap sack of starts, wholehearted in assisting his father. He places starts into the soil; unhurried, deliberate and methodical. There are times when he picks the start from out of the ground, in order to turn it, so that the eye of the potato may be placed at the exact angle.
The neighbor, who has been watching over the fence, decides to offer his opinion. “I see you're planting potatoes,” he tells the farmer, “But I'll tell you this; it's going to take you a good long while at your pace. Let me tell you like it is; you'd get it done a whole lot faster if you'd plant this field by yourself.”
“Well,” replies the farmer, “that may be true, but I'm raising more than just potatoes.”

We do make a difference in our world.
And the choices we make do matter.

So, I wonder, how do we find the courage to choose what really matters?

We have forgotten that we were made for this, one soul helping another.

Remembering that yes, we do get to choose the kind of world we want to live in.

"The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members, a heart of grace, and a soul generated by love." Coretta Scott King reminded us. No one of us is on this journey alone. And life without community (without “company”) is unsatisfying and anxious, leaving an emptiness no purchase or accomplishment can fill.
We are on this journey together.

Let us take these affirmations from Leo Buscaglia into our week…
“The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be no ticker-tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give.
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch,
a smile,
a kind word a listening ear,
an honest compliment,
or the smallest act of caring,
all of which have a potential to turn a life around.
It’s overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt.” 

Sabbath Moments

Micah 6:8 What does God require of us…He requires us to love.

 Jeremiah 22:3

Thus says the LORD: “Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place. NKJV

Two things that God hates are pride and arrogance. Our government is telling us to covet both. We are created to give God glory. How demoralized is our country in the hands of this MAGA administration. God save America from the hands of those who seek to destroy it. Two commandments were given to us by God, love Him above all and love our neighbors as much as we do our ourselves. In obedience to  these two we fulfill all of the Law and the Testaments. Carla

Micah 6:8

He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justly,

•To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God? NKJV

This verse speaks of the underlying attitudes that must accompany all true worship. What does the Lord require of you: The idea here is that God seeks certain characteristics of true worship from His people. Do justly … love mercy … walk humbly. These phrases summarize biblical piety in true worship. The majority of the people of Israel had violated each of these standards repeatedly. The rulers did not know justice (3:1), had no interest in mercy (3:2, 3), and demonstrated no humility (3:11). 

It is the Lord who ultimately gives a person strength, courage, and ability to exercise the virtues of godly living. The NKJV Study Bible

What does Yahweh ask from you? This verse gives the answer to the question the prophet asked in Micah 6:6–7. 

What God requires is heartfelt love and obedience.

A proper relationship with God also involves a proper relationship with one’s neighbor.

The Hebrew word for kindness often occurs in reference to Yahweh’s covenant with Israel (Deuteronomy 7:9, 12; 1 Kings 8:23; Nehemiah 1:5).

This Hebrew word for humbly occurs only here in the Old Testament. It traditionally has been understood as referring to humility, but it most likely indicates carefulness or thoughtfulness. Faithlife Study Bible

Deuteronomy 10:12–13

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good? 

Hosea 6:6

For I desire mercy and not sacrifice,

And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Isaiah 57:15

For thus says the High and Lofty One

Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

I dwell in the high and holy place,

With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,

To revive the spirit of the humble,

And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

“I am one, but still I am one; I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; And just because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.” Thank you, Helen Keller.

We are in the same human family, so let us embrace empathy. Let us be unafraid of a willingness to learn and grow and change. Let us no longer be afraid of sad or lonely. Because the ordinary is indeed the hiding place for the holy.
And with our eyes open, the ordinary becomes a place where light is spilled, and where very simple gestures make a profound difference in the world around us.

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” Jane Goodall encouraged us.

So, yes. We do make a difference.
And yes. Small gestures matter. Grounding us in humility and dignity and compassion.

There is no doubt that we do give ourselves grief.
And in those moments, let us take Mother Teresa’s words to heart, “If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”

Bottom line; gratefully, indifference is not an option.
Today, I can choose to be kind. I can choose to be generous. I can choose to be inclusive. I can choose to not demean or shame.

I am so grateful to Pope Leo for his continual reminders. “To be a peacemaker is no easy matter: it forces us out of our comfort zones of distraction and indifference and may well be resisted by those who have an interest in perpetuating conflicts… Do not be afraid. Be sprouts of peace where the seed of hatred and resentment is growing; be weavers of unity where polarization and enmity prevail; be the voice of those who have no voice to ask for justice and dignity; be light and salt where the flame of faith and the taste for life are fading.” (Pope Leo XIV recently speaking to young adult Catholics.) Sabbath Moments

1 Peter 4:16-19 Judgement begins in the house of God

 Amos 3:2

“You only have I known of all the families of the earth;

Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”

Hope, faith and love exist. The greatest of these virtues is love. When the culture wants you to hate…love. Peter draws on the Septuagint (ancient Greek Old Testament) version of Proverbs 11:31 to remind his audience of the high cost of following Jesus in a world that condones sinful behavior and reviles the name of Christ. All nations will be judged and it starts with those who claim the holy name of  God. Pray for the soul of America. Carla

1 Peter 4:16-19

Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 Now

“If the righteous one is scarcely saved,

Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

19 •Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. (NKJV)

Judgment does not always imply condemnation in Scripture. When used in relation to Christians, it consistently refers to the evaluation of a believer’s works for the purpose of reward (1 Corinthians 3:10–15). The house of God here is not on a building but on believers. Throughout this letter, Peter speaks of those who are not part of God’s eternal family as being disobedient (2:7, 8; 3:1, 20). No one deserves to be saved, and no one is able to be saved by his or her good works (Ephesians 2:8, 9). Since everyone deserves condemnation, the fact that anyone is saved is solely the result of God’s grace. 

If God does not hold back judgment from His own people, imagine the end of the enemies of God who have no one to justify them before Him (Psalm 1:4–6; Revelation 20:11–15).

Christians are to entrust their very lives to God, especially in the midst of suffering, always recognizing that He is the faithful Creator who is in control of all things. God never gives us more than we can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13); everything He does always has a good purpose (Romans 8:28). The NKJV Study Bible

The Greek term used here for Christians rarely occurs in the New Testament  despite its later popularity as a designation for people who follow Jesus and trust in His saving work (Acts 11:26). Here Peter probably uses the term to affirm believers’ identification with Christ and His sufferings (1 Peter 4:13). The time for the judgment to begin out likely refers to future judgment at Jesus’ return rather than present sufferings. Those who suffer for Christ’s sake can be confident that God’s judgment will validate their hardship. Peter lives in the era between Jesus’ resurrection and return—thus, relatively speaking, the judgment is imminent and has in many ways begun, since the time to choose Jesus is now (2 Peter 3:8).

The household of God evokes the building metaphor from 1 Peter 2:4–5 and refers to the family of believers in Jesus. Peter maintains that God will judge all people impartially, but also stresses that He will begin with His own people. All people will be held accountable for their actions, even though God will grant mercy to those who chose the path of faith in Jesus.

Just as Jesus faced suffering—being mocked, beaten, and crucified—to make the gift of salvation possible, believers must faithfully follow their Lord until the end of their lives or Jesus’ return. This is not because their salvation depends on it—Jesus alone saves them (1 Pet er 1:3–12)—but because others may come to Jesus due to their model of faithfulness.

Those who do not walk the path of faith will experience the full ramifications of their sin when God judges all of humanity. Peter asserts that God desires for Christians in the Roman Empire—including himself and the churches to which he writes—to consider their suffering as a means of becoming more like Christ. They suffer according to God’s will by suffering as Jesus would.

Although they are experiencing overwhelming evil, believers should continue to do good, as a means of honoring God and demonstrating that they trust Him with their entire lives. Faithlife Study Bible

Proverbs 11:31

If the righteous will be recompensed on the earth,

How much more the ungodly and the sinner.

Jeremiah 25:29

For behold, I begin to bring calamity on the city which is called by My name, and should you be utterly unpunished? You shall not be unpunished, for I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth,” says the LORD of hosts.’

Luke 23:31

For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?”

“There’s the beautiful quote by Dr. King that says the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice. Now, there have been many, many days of recent when you could certainly have an argument over that. But I’ve lived long enough to see that in action and to put some faith in it. But I’ve also lived long enough to know, that arc doesn’t bend on its own. It needs all of us leaning on it, nudging it in the right direction, day after day. You’ve gotta keep, keep leaning. I think it’s important to believe in those words, and to carry yourself, and to act accordingly.” Bruce Springsteen

We are the light in the world…let it shine!

 Jimmy Carter spilled light in our world. And when my world feels heavy, I remember his pledge, and his invitation. He wrote, “I have one life and one chance to make it count for something. I'm free to choose what that something is, and the something I've chosen is my faith. Now, my faith goes beyond theology and religion and requires considerable work and effort. My faith demands—this is not optional—my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.”

Here’s what does my heart good; he reminded us that kindness and gentle acts of goodness really do matter. And they make a difference.

No, kindness and empathy are not always easy. Because yes, there are times when we feel at the end of our resources. When that happens, I replay this memory about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Thirteen years ago, I stood in the kitchen of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church Parsonage, the home to Dr. King and his family from 1954 to 1960 (At the time, I was part of a pilgrimage to honor Dr. King and the Selma Bridge march).
By the time the Montgomery bus strike was achieving both success and national attention, Dr. King began receiving telephone death threats (as many as 40 a day).
“One night very late around midnight—and you can have some strange experiences at midnight—the telephone rang.” Dr. King relates the story in a later sermon. “On the other end was an ugly voice.”
“For some reason, it got to me. I was weak. Sometimes, I feel discouraged... You can't call on Daddy anymore. You could only call on the Something your Daddy told you about, that Power that can make a way out of no way.”
And at that kitchen table, he prayed. “Lord, I'm down here trying to do what's right... But I must confess... I'm losing my courage.”
King explained what happened next: “I could hear an inner voice saying to me, ‘Martin Luther, stand up for truth. Stand up for justice. Stand up for righteousness.’”
My conundrum? When I see acts of courage I see heroism, and I often don't see myself. Or I see how far I have to go. Or I see how far short I have fallen.
But I do understand tired.
And I do understand discouraged.
And I do understand the end of my resources.
It’s not always easy to look in the mirror, is it?
Maybe because, instead of seeing sufficiency, I see scarcity.
So it is no wonder that there have been times I have quit, emotionally shut down. Capitulated to someone else’s narrative about me. And that’s not fun to admit.
Here’s the deal: whenever I feel depleted, I have forgotten that I get to say how the story ends. I forget the power of choice.
“The one thing you can’t take away from me is the way I choose to respond to what you do to me,” Viktor Frankl’s reminder rings with assurance. “The last of one’s freedoms is to choose one’s attitude in any given circumstance.”
The ability to choose, from a power already inside.

And my heart is readily replenished when I read this from John O’Donohue. He writes, “Somewhere in every heart there is a discerning voice. This voice distrusts the status quo. It sounds out the falsity in things and encourages dissent from the images things tend to assume. It underlines the secret crevices where the surface has become strained. It advises distance and opens up a new perspective through which the concealed meaning of a situation might emerge. The inner voice makes any complicity uneasy. Its intention is to keep the heart clean and clear. This voice is an inner whisper not obvious or known to others outside. It receives little attention and is not usually highlighted among a person's qualities. Yet so much depends on that small voice. The truth of its whisper marks the line between honor and egoism, kindness and chaos. In extreme situations, which have been emptied of all shelter and tenderness, that small voice whispers from somewhere beyond and encourages the heart to hold out for dignity, respect, beauty and love.”
(From Beauty: The Invisible Embrace)

So, yes, we do get to choose the kind of world we want to live in.
Let’s begin with Helen Keller’s reminder, “I am one, but still I am one; I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; And just because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”
Taking Mother Teresa’s words to heart, “If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”
Bottom line; gratefully, indifference is not an option.
Today, I can choose to be kind. I can choose to be generous. I can choose to be inclusive. I can choose to not demean or shame.
This is not because we get points, or rewards in heaven. We can choose because this is a reflection of who we are, at our core. “This little light of mine.”
I love the work I do; talking, teaching, entertaining. But, if I'm honest, there are times when I wonder why I still do “what” I do. I know that I have choices. But on my darker days I wonder, what difference can I really make?
We know we have choices. What does it matter what I do?
This may be an old story. But I love telling it…
As the old man walks the beach at dawn, he notices a young man picking up starfish and flinging them into the sea. Catching up to the youth, he asks a simple question, “Why are you doing this?”
The boy answers that the stranded starfish would die if left until the morning sun.
“But the beach goes on for miles, and there are millions of starfish. How can your efforts make any difference?”
The young man looked at the starfish in his hand and threw it to safety—into the ocean past the breaking waves. “It makes a difference to this one,” he said.
Yes, my friend, our choices do make a difference. They matter.
I write Sabbath Moment as a reminder to myself to choose to plant seeds in our world, to cultivate sanctuary, mercy, empathy, inclusion, compassion and kindness… a space where we are refueled to make a difference.
Let us remember John O’Donohue’s invitation to pay attention to “…that small voice (which) whispers from somewhere beyond and encourages the heart to hold out for dignity, respect, beauty and love.” Terry Hershey “Sabbath Moments”