Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”
NL Daily Devotion for Thursday, September 9, 2021
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
“All Are Welcome Here.” So say lawn signs all over my home metro area, some in front of places of worship, some in front of homes, some in front of businesses. They are such simple words, yet deeply profound. What they convey without saying it is that every single human being on the planet will be embraced by whoever is displaying the sign. Men, women, cisgender, non-binary, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, Republican, Democrat, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, atheist, neurotypical, developmentally or physically disabled, old, and young. I wonder if anyone displaying this sign is truly willing or able to live by what it says. And what does it mean to welcome someone as Christ has welcomed us? Not just to say, “Hey, yeah, you’re cool.” It’s so much more than that. Christ served everyone—fed, healed, transformed, loved, even to the point of his own death. Can we possibly welcome others as Christ welcomed us?
It is our sacred call, our duty and our joy, to do our level best to carry out this mandate. Just imagine what would happen if everyone did that? It kind of takes my breath away just thinking about it.
How do I welcome others as Christ has welcomed me?