Ordinary Time

Pause

“In diversity there is beauty and there is strength.” (Maya Angelou)

We are called to join the story of God's people – a story of beauty and strength.

Listen

He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. His purpose was to equip God’s people for the work of serving and building up the body of Christ until we all reach the unity of faith and knowledge of God’s Son. God’s goal is for us to become mature adults—to be fully grown, measured by the standard of the fullness of Christ. As a result, we aren’t supposed to be infants any longer who can be tossed and blown around by every wind that comes from teaching with deceitful scheming and the tricks people play to deliberately mislead others.

Ephesians 4:11-14

Think

Many of us spend a long time figuring out what it is we want to do. We want a career or lifestyle that is fulfilling and stable, one that makes us excited to wake up in the morning. In the process of figuring out how to make that happen, we look at other people who seem to have it all figured out. We often feel jealous of their success or passion for what they do. When we measure ourselves based on material success, we forget that there is diversity in the way we are called.

Ephesians tells us that the only measure that counts is the measure of Christ within us. The measure of status, wealth, and social rank is of a human construction. God has called us to mature in our faith and be unswayed by these social expectations that mislead us from our truest purpose: serving and building each other up.

Jon Chacko

Pray

God, thank you for the diversity in our world. May I support others in their calling, and may I allow myself the grace to be supported by others. Amen.

Go

We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.

Richard Gillard in “The Servant Song” (1977)