God Became Flesh

Imagine for a moment that God showed up tomorrow and interrupted your day. 

Imagine God appeared as a person somewhere on your way from here to there.

Imagine that you were intrigued enough to follow and see what God did all day.

Imagine that day turned into another day and then into a week and into a month and that month turned into a year. You kept following. 

Maybe you kept your distance and observed from afar. Maybe you got close. Maybe you were part of the inner circle.

What do you think God would do all day? Who would God interact with? 

Imagine God went up on a hill and gave a speech, what would God say to the people who gathered?

If on one of those days, God decided to throw a party, who would God invite? What would God serve?

If God told you to bring a friend, who would you invite?

Is there anyone who God would not allow in? Why? 

Two thousand years ago, some people claimed to have this experience. God became flesh and dwelt among them. In the decades that followed, they shared their stories. 

They told people what God did all day.
They told people who God chose to spend time with.
They told people what God said.
They told people who God invited to parties and who was left out.

I choose to believe them.  I choose to believe in the God revealed through the life of Jesus.
I choose to believe that if I want to know what justice looks like, I should look to Jesus.
I choose to believe that if I want to know what mercy looks like, I should look to Jesus.
I choose to believe that if I want to know what love looks like, I should look to Jesus.
I choose to believe that if I want to know what the Most High God looks like, I should look to Jesus. 

Yet, everyday I am bombarded by stories of actions being done in the name of God that do not reflect the life and ministry of Jesus. 

And, everyday I see and hear Scripture being manipulated in ways that lead people away from the person of Jesus.

I am left to conclude the God being promoted so publicly is not the God of Jesus.

Earlier this year, I told someone that I was going to fight for Christianity; I believe the version of Christianity that is centered on the teachings and ministry of Jesus is worth fighting for (not with violence, though).

I started to end this by saying, “I truly believe that the ways of Jesus make the world a better place for everyone.” 

Then I realized that’s not true. The way of Jesus “…has brought down the powerful from their thrones
    and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away empty.” (Luke 1:52-53)

 This is why as followers of Jesus we are empowered by God “to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.” *

 Friends, as we move into 2026, which promises to challenge our faith and our resolve, “let us not grow weary in doing good…may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your Spirit…” (Galatians 6:9, 18)

*United Methodist Baptismal Covenant