Inspired by 2 John 1-6
“Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the
Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, in truth and love.” 2 John 3
God is with us
always. In times of trouble, in times of
joy, in times of mundane ordinariness, he is with us. He is with us in our solitude, and he is with
us in our companionship. And he is with
everyone else, at all times and in all places, as well.
Imagine how our
encounters with other people might be different if we began each conversation—verbal,
written, or electronic—with a reminder that God’s grace, mercy, and peace were
present with us. How might it change the
way you speak to your coworkers? How
might it change the way you speak to you family members? How might it change the way you speak to
store cashiers, strangers on the street, or salespeople at your door or calling
you at home?
Not every encounter
we have is pleasant; sometimes we need to state and enforce boundaries, address
a conflict, or disagree with someone’s opinion or course of action. But imagine how these difficult conversations
might be different if both parties were reminded first that both are beloved
children of the Father, redeemed by the Son, and sustained by the Holy Spirit.
Let us pray. God of all, you lavishly shower your grace
and mercy upon all your people. Remind
us of the truth of your love, that we may treat everyone with the respect that
your children deserve. Through Christ
our Lord, Amen.
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