Read John 15:1-18 We are human beings, not human doings. —Attribution varies I don’t know about you, but I like to go. I like to do. Checklists abound in my life, and I always have a new way to fill any downtime. I’m not good at taking time to pause and reflect. I get so…
Read John 14:1-14 One beautiful fall day, I went for a walk with my then 5-year-old daughter. We skipped along a path in the woods behind our condo, scampered over large rocks and crunched the fallen leaves that blanketed the ground. Eventually, we exited the other side of the woods, looping back on a road…
Read John 13:18-38 At some point, we’ve all felt betrayed. It could be a big friendship falling out, or a breach of trust on a smaller scale. In my life, I can think of a few times this has happened and I’ll be honest: I never saw it coming. I was blindsided by the comment…
Read John 12:1-8 Mary of Bethany lived near Jerusalem with her siblings Martha and Lazarus. She is likely single in a culture where women’s lives were perilous without a husband, brother, or father. Jesus welcomed Mary – an apparently average woman – as a disciple, even as it defied social expectation. (Luke 10) We next…
Read John 11:1-57 In this passage, Jesus is many things—a fellow mourner, a miracle worker, a sacrificial life-giver. Moreover, raising Lazarus is the pivot point of Jesus’ ministry. This miracle, the last of the seven signs in John’s gospel, is the point of no return. It hardens the religious leaders’ resolve to kill him. The…
Read John 10:1-21 I recently watched a documentary about first century shepherds. I realized how little I previously knew about them. One of the main tasks of a shepherd was to protect his flock from predators and thieves – sometimes at the risk of his own life. During the day, a shepherd could use his…
Read John 9:1-41 “Who sinned?” The question is philosophical, as if the blindman isn’t there to answer. Society’s leaders see a blind man — a beggar, sinner, outsider, bad person. Jesus sees differently. He sees through assumptions and labels. He is Light. In fact, he is the only one who truly sees. Society stumbles in…
Read John 8:1-11 I’d been caught in the act. The underlying anger and bitterness I harbored against all humanity had finally, irrefutably manifested itself. I’d been called out by two co-workers within a week for my attitude in two different situations. I felt like the woman of this passage – dragged to the Temple courts,…
