By Beth Bontrager, Mennonite Historical Library administrative assistant
Scripture: John 3:14-21 (NRSV)
At our house we have this clutter problem. It gets in the way of cleaning, of finding things, of gathering around the (cluttered) dining room table, of being family.
But…
We have this clutter problem. It gets in the way of seeing one another as beloved children of God instead of labels like “gay” or “conservative” or “Asian” or “rich” or “handicapped” or “four-eyes” or “stupid.”
We have this clutter problem. It gets in the way of worship, of sharing, of focusing on following Jesus.
We have this clutter problem. It gets in the way of being community.
When Jesus cleared the temple of the sellers and market entrepreneurs, I think he was saying more than to keep the building where you worship God beautiful and focused on worship: I think he was crying out to his followers that they need to clean out their lives, their hearts, their minds of things which distract them from celebrating the diversity and joy that is serving and worshipping God.
What is the clutter in your life? What distracts you from being wholly God’s child and walking in the steps of Jesus? Is it too many activities? Is it prejudice? Is it the past? Is it disinterest? Is it fear? Is it tradition?
In this time of Lent, clean out the closets of your mind and heart, leaving space experience and participate and live into God’s love and community.
Scripture: John 3:14-21 (NRSV)
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”