Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.”
NL Daily Devotion for Tuesday, May 3, 2022
by Dr. Kimberly Leetch, Clergy Stuff
Saul had been through a major life transformation. He’d gone from being the most feared and hated persecutor of Christians to one of Christianity’s most effective preachers and missionaries. Christians still feared him. Persecutors of Christians wanted to kill him. It must have been a lonely and frightening time, even as he cultivated his allies and trusted in the Lord. Still, his conviction outweighed his fear, and he persisted.
Whether positive or negative, going through a major life transition can be very lonely and frightening. Many who find themselves with life-altering medical diagnoses find themselves surrounded by fewer and fewer people as those on the fringes disappear—often they don’t want to be reminded of their own mortality, or they simply don’t know what to do or say. Others that have engaged a healing journey from past trauma or have strengthened their faith in a significant way find themselves isolated from people that are not ready to make transformative changes in their own lives. One gift is that as people drift away from you, the quality of your remaining and new relationships improves. When those who are not committed to knowing the new you drift away, you are left only with those that are willing to take the journey with you. Don’t spend any time pursuing the people that don’t want to be pursued. Revel in the relationships that bring you both joy.
