The Final Goal: Mistaken Identity
Read: John 10:20-30 In the 2002 World Cup, superstar striker Ronaldo changed his hairstyle after his Brazilian side defeated England. He did so because his infant son confused him with teammate Roberto Carlos—a rather unfortunate case of mistaken identity. Jesus also suffered from mistaken identity. On earth He taught the Word and ways of God [...]
ODJ: ken cooper’s kitten
All of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image (v.18).
READ: 2 Corinthians 3:7-18
In 1983, Ken Cooper’s 3-year career as an armed felon ended when he was sentenced to 99 years in Florida’s infamous prison—The Rock. With just five guards controlling 900 inmates, The Rock was a hell hole of knifings, beatings, murders, and rape. But while there, Ken Cooper heard the gospel through a brave prison chaplain and became a follower of Jesus. Soon some of Ken’s cellmates did too, and their lives began to change.
One day Ken and his friends adopted a kitten that they named Mr. Magoo. Mr. Magoo’s back had been broken and his eyes had been blinded by acid—cruel acts committed by other inmates. But Ken and the other kind inmates held Mr. Magoo each day, took turns feeding him, and even prayed for his sight to return. Mr. Magoo was lavished with love. And his sight did return!
The justice system could punish Ken and his cellmates, but it couldn’t change their hearts. The kindness shown to Mr. Magoo revealed the transformation taking place inside them.
The apostle Paul once lamented that many of his fellow Jews rejected Jesus for the Old Testament law. Paul’s response was that while that law was good (Romans 7:12,14) and glorious (2 Corinthians 3:7), it could only condemn when we broke it (v.9). Like the civil law that judged Ken Cooper, the law exposes our bad deeds and sentences us.
In contrast, Jesus, by His Spirit, offers inner transformation. He enters our lives and starts restoring our souls to make us “more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image” (v.18). We are freed and changed (v.17).
For Paul, the good-but-condemning law was no match for the good-and-transforming Spirit (v.8). Ken Cooper would concur, for God’s grace turned hardened criminals into kitten-loving gentlemen. —Sheridan Voysey
How legalistic are you? Do you believe that your allegiance to God’s law will make you good? What sin or weakness will you offer to Jesus today as you seek to be transformed into His character?
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Loading ...ODB: Stop to help
June 11, 2010
READ: Luke 10:30-37
You shall love . . . your neighbor as yourself. —Luke 10:27
Dr. Scott Kurtzman, chief of sur- gery at Waterbury Hospital in Connecticut, was on his way to deliver a lecture when he witnessed a horrible crash involving 20 vehicles. The doctor shifted into trauma mode, worked his way through the mess of metal, and called out, “Who needs help?” After 90 minutes of assisting, and the victims were taken to area hospitals, Dr. Kurtzman commented, “A person with my skills simply can’t drive by someone who is injured. I refuse to live my life that way.”
Jesus told a parable about a man who stopped to help another (Luke 10:30-37). A Jewish man had been ambushed, stripped, robbed, and left for dead. A Jewish priest and a temple assistant passed by, saw the man, and crossed over to the other side. Then a despised Samaritan came by, saw the man, and was filled with compassion. His compassion was translated into action: He soothed and bandaged the man’s wounds, took him to an inn, cared for him while he could, paid for all his medical expenses, and then promised the innkeeper he would return to pay any additional expenses.
There are people around us who are suffering. Moved with compassion for their pain, let’s be those who stop to help. —Marvin Williams
Compassion is always active.
Source: Our Daily Bread
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