Forward Movement is an official, non-profit agency of the Episcopal Church whose mission is to create compelling content for Christian living. Since 1935 we have published the quarterly devotional Forward Day by Day, as well as pamphlets, booklets, and books that encourage and nourish people in their lives of prayer and faith.
SATURDAY, October 16 (Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, and Thomas Cranmer)
Luke 9:37-50. An argument arose among them as to which one of them was the greatest. But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a little child and put it by his side.
Edward Chinn, author of The Wonder of Words (Forward Movement, 1985), tells the story of a little boy whose talent as an artist attracted the attention of a psychologist. “When he visited the boy’s home, he was both astonished and puzzled; astonished by the excellence of the boy’s work, but puzzled by the fact that the paintings covered only half their canvases. He tried several indirect questions to find out why the boy painted this way. Finally, he asked him straight out, ‘Why do you always leave the top half of your paintings blank?’ The boy replied, ‘Because I can’t reach that high!’ ”
The child knew his limitations but he did not miss any of the possibilities. This is a good parable of our vocation as disciples. Some may be “greater” in talent than others, but we all are called to be as creative as we can be, knowing that the “top half” will be completed by the One who has called us to be co-workers.
Do you think Jesus had something like this in mind when he set forth a child as a model for his disciples? What a relief not to have to worry about the blank spaces! (1987)
PRAY for the Diocese of Ilaje (Nigeria)
Ps 20, 21:1-7(8-14) * 110:1-5(6-7), 116, 117; Ecclesiasticus 3:17-31; Acts 28:17-31
View the daily Lectionary Readings at Satucket.com.
Or view the Bible passages at Biblegateway.com.
A Meditation for Pentecost
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