Author Marianne Williamson, in her book titled “Return to Love” wrote a powerful quote that was used in two movies.  One of the movies was “Akeelah and the Bee.”  The other movie was “Coach Carter.”  The quote came at a pivotal moment in each movie.  As each actor was confronted with facing the truth about who they were, they said (quoting from Marianne Williamson’s book):

         “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?'  Actually, who are you not to be?  You are a child of God.  Your playing small does not serve the world.  There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.  We are all meant to shine, as children do.  We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.  It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.  And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Perhaps this is nothing more than a paraphrase of Jesus’ words in Matthew.  Or perhaps it offered to lift the cover off of one of our most tempting temptations — to deny the glory of God present in us and shield the world from God’s glory present in us.  This quote and our Scripture for today serve to highlight the fact that we are extraordinary.  But it is God and God’s glory that makes us so.  It is our fear of letting that glory shine that dulls the glory of Christ and hide God’s glory present in us.  How the world would change if we could stop trying to put out the light of others and let God’s glory shine in and through everyone.  That would be truly extraordinary — allowing the light of Christ to illumine the world so that the world could see that we are extraordinary — each and every one of us.

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Mighty God, free me from the temptation to hide your glory because of my fear. Empower me to let my light shine as I encourage others to allow their light to shine.

         A certain amount of discretion is realized when speaking about Jesus Christ.  Much of it has to do with humility.  Perhaps it’s because if people had known who he was, he would have been perceived as someone special — someone who existed outside of the normal limitations of humanity.  He may have been tried and tested, challenged and threatened more than he had normally been.  And perhaps, in the midst of a tribalists culture, his message to the Gentiles would have been more offensive.  And yet what made him extraordinary is that the very nature of his life and his ministry was essentially to any and everyone who had ears to hear.  He didn’t speak to only one tribe, but to the entire tribe of humanity.  Perhaps what make us special is that we aren’t called to make disciples of any one group, tribe, race, nation, age, class or ethnicity.  And yet, for most people, the temptation is to isolate ourselves into our little tribes, sects, division, and cliques based on our race, creed, ethnicity, political group, age, sexuality, gender, and other descriptors that keep us apart.

         Our call is to move beyond the walls that people use to separate us to include every tribe and nation.  That’s a difficult task given the divisions that are created in our world today.  But what makes us extraordinary is that by following Christ, we can become as extraordinary as he was, allowing him working in us to break down the walls that separate humanity with all their divisions from the God who challenges and calls us to be one in Him.

• What is so unique about a people who can worship and live together embracing the love of God as their only standard of community?
• What make this type of community so difficult to realize?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Lord God, help me to resist the temptation to separate myself from any other community but Yours and embrace the extraordinarily true community of one nation under our sovereign God.

        We often think of ourselves as just common folk.  We tell ourselves and others there’s nothing special about us.  But is that really true?  Not disregarding the freedom we receive from the Spirit of the Lord, there is something greater that we dismiss — something that tempts us without us being aware of it.  Our temptation is to disregard the glory we have from the Lord.  Our temptation is to disregard the fact that we all, with unveiled face, having seen the glory of Christ, are being transformed into the same image of Christ glory from one degree of to another.  In other words, we have the glory of Christ shining within us.  That is God’s confirmation within us that we aren’t just common, every day, people.  We are children of God, created in God’s image and charged with the responsibility to let God’s glory shine in and through us.  That, in itself, makes us extraordinary people in ordinary flesh. Perhaps it’s invisible to others, but it is visible to our God and Christ.  Can you imagine how extraordinary we are that God can recognize God’s spirit within us, and claim us as His own?  That makes us very extraordinary.

• What does it mean for you to claim that you are extraordinary — at least in the eyes of God?
• How does this acknowledgment change how you see yourself and how you live out your faith?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Gracious and eternal God, forgive me when I am tempted to disregard Your glory as a part of who I am. Empower me to live so that others may see Your glory and give praise to you.