Stone Monuments - John 1:17

John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (NIV)

            Sometimes I wonder why other Christians get so upset over the placing of the Ten Commandments in public places. I know that those ten sacred laws are important to our faith tradition and have helped many people lead good lives throughout the centuries. However, the Gospels often remind us – as in today’s verse – that the legalism of the Old Testament was replaced with the compassion of Jesus and that we are meant to be living monuments of Christ’s grace and truth. Setting up a stone monument is an easy thing to do and may make us feel proud about how we witnessed for God, but being living monuments and witnessing with Christ’s mercy and love are much harder, more complicated, and very difficult to practice.

            Grace gets me through each day, especially when I’ve said or done something wrong. It makes me think critically about myself and what sort of witness I’m displaying to others. My faith is a living embodiment of who Christ is wherever I go – I’m not stuck in the ground, gathering weeds, or fading away like a stone monument. I’m a Christian human being who tries to love God, my neighbor, and even my enemies. A rock cannot do any of that, but a dedicated person can.

            So today, let’s all try to witness effectively, faithfully, compassionately, and lovingly to the people we encounter in our homes, neighborhood, and community. Because, just like ourselves, there are a lot of people around us who need the grace of God and the truth of Christ’s love in their lives.

Point to ponder

How do I display my faith in Jesus? Who is He asking me to help today?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for bringing us the grace of God and showing us the truth about life. Help us to see Your work in our community and follow a path that allows us to be living monuments of our faith. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can read the church website at www.erinpresbyterian.org. You can also email John with your feedback to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Communion banner drawings called ‘Bread & Wine.’ If you would like to view a larger version, click this link: Communion.