Devotional Day 7

This 7 day devotional has been designed to help us see how Jesus dealt with people with whom He came in contact.  How he responded to the hurting, the defensive, and the outcasts can provide a roadmap for us to do likewise.

 

When Scott and I were first married, we were serving in a ministry in Southern California.  There are a few things one comes to expect in such a place: the weather is beautiful, the real estate is expensive, and the traffic is horrible.  Sometimes, it would take hours to travel a few miles and it was not limited to rush hour.

 

It was about this time in history where a series of drive by shootings occurred.  They were seemingly random, many of the victims were strangers to the shooters, and road rage was often the culprit.   People can get really crazy in traffic…but enough about me.

 

It was on a warm summer day.  I had borrowed my husband’s car and I headed to Los Angeles (where many of these shootings had occurred).  The traffic stopped completely.  People in the cars around me grew impatient and most of us turned off our cars.  As the minutes ticked by, temperatures rose and tempers flared from the drivers on either side of me.  I could feel a panic growing inside me – not because of the traffic, but because I was afraid of being shot and breathing my last breaths on the 405N.

 

Then it happened – the moment I had most feared.  I heard a loud pop from behind me.  I felt a warm ooze soaking my clothing. After some quick prayers and a few tears, I reached down to assess the damage to my body.  I was not in pain, but when I touched my blouse, I realized my blood was clear.  I have watched way too much CSI in my day, so before logic set in, I went through a few scenarios in my head.

 

Then I smelled the blood (I know, ewww).  It smelled citrusy – this was just getting more weird.  

 

Unbeknownst to me, my husband had a few sodas in the backseat of the car.  One of them must have received direct sunlight for too long and exploded, spewing clear, citrusy goodness all over the headliner of the car, my hair, and my clothing.  

 

I hadn’t been shot, I had been Sprited. 

 

But the whole ordeal gave me much to think about and the traffic on the freeway that day ensured I had lots of time to think about it.  What if that had been all the time I had on Earth?  How would I be remembered?  How did I treat people?  How did I show people how much Jesus loves them?

 

When Jesus came to Earth, He set the perfect example of how to deal with others, even those who would not be born for many centuries to come.  

 

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” – John 3:16-17

 

He initiated the relationship with the world. 

He sacrificed to make the relationship work.

He worked (and continues to do so) in our best interest.

What can we glean from this about relationships?

These are familiar verses to many, but most do not follow this role model in their relationships and interactions.

• According to this verse, how does Jesus treat us?
  
  
• What does this verse tell us about the character of God?
  
  
• What have you gleaned in the last seven days that could become a daily practice that makes your relationship better?
  
  
• What can you glean from how Jesus interacted with the world to help you love and serve your spouse better?