Daily Meditation: "From Miles Away"

SCRIPTURE

"You shall put these words of mine in your heart and soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and fix them as an emblem on your forehead." - Deuteronomy 11:18-28

REFLECTION

Have you ever been able to pick someone out in a crowd because of something especially characteristic about them? Maybe it was their hair, a hat, the color of their shirt...but you could pick them out from miles away. I had a friend like that in high school. I could always find her because of her hair. She had a huge mane of wavy blonde hair unlike almost anyone else in our grade, and whether it was at lunch, in the library, on the bus, wherever; it was easy to find her because of that hair.

Scripture tells us that the ways in which we live out God’s word should be something just as defining about us that people could spot it from miles away. To use the words from Micah, our ability to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God should be fixed on our foreheads like an emblem or a sign on our hands that make us stand out in a crowd.

Of course, the truth is that if we all lived our lives this way none of us would stand out because we’d all be doing it together. Our diversity shouldn’t come from those who live their lives out lovingly, kindly, and with justice and those who don’t; it should come from all of us living out these things in our own unique and special ways.

What are the signs on your hand and the emblems on your forehead that people could spot from miles away? What gifts and talents are uniquely yours that the world needs right now because only you have them and can share them?

Be bold, live loud, and stand out in the ways you live out your God-given gifts from your heart and your soul.

PRAYER

God of kindness, humility, and justice, grant us the wisdom and the courage to live out your presence and spirit in our own, unique ways each day.

Amen.

Peace, Shawn