God calls us to be generous with His grace, love

I know why parenting is most commonly for the young. It is not that younger parents are necessarily wiser or more patient than older parents or grandparents might be. But, younger parents have more energy, and energy is really important for guiding young children.

For example, at times Kathy and I will entertain our grandchildren. Sometimes Andy’s children, Jackson and Kendall, will spend time at our home. Sometimes Jake, Emma, Henry and Anna, Josh and Erin’s children, will visit. And, then there are the times that Poppy and Mimi, or just Mimi, get to watch all six! Wow! There is energy in the house that I have trouble remembering in my own life!

All the grandchildren like popcorn, so I have often popped popcorn for my grandchildren and put some in a bowl for each one. However, I am sometimes disappointed, but not surprised, to watch one of them be stingy with their popcorn. Sometimes one child spills theirs and grabs at the popcorn of their brother or sister. I have even watched a child with a full bowl, snatch popcorn from their siblings. But, seldom do I see one of my young grandchildren wanting to share their popcorn with another.

There is always enough popcorn. I will make more. I often do pop more for them. They will have plenty and won’t run out of their snack. But even when there is plenty of popcorn the selfish nature in my grandkids (the grandchildren I am sure are the best grandchildren in the world) leads them to be stingy and not to share.

Sometimes we can be stingy with the grace of God given to us in Jesus. God is generous with His saving love in our lives. And, God wants us to be willing to share His love, even though we sometimes struggle in sharing.

For traditional churches, and at St. John, we are now in the church season of Epiphany. The Epiphany event is the arrival of the magi, men from foreign countries. These Gentiles worshiped the child Jesus. “Epiphany” also means to reveal or to show. For the next seven weeks in worship we will see Jesus reveal that He is the promised Messiah, the Savior of the world. But, especially in these early Sundays in Epiphany, we will see people sharing this good news about Jesus. Or we will even hear Jesus Himself encouraging His followers to tell others about who He is.

This Sunday, in our Gospel reading, we will see Andrew sharing Jesus with his brother, Simon. Next week we’ll hear Jesus tell His disciples that they will be “fishers of men.” In a few weeks we will hear Jesus tell the church that they are a light to the world and the salt of the earth. God gives us His love graciously and freely, and He calls us to be generous and gracious in sharing that love in Jesus.

This is not just a New Testament teaching from the mouth of Jesus. In the Old Testament reading for this Sunday, God speaks through His promised servant to the people of Israel. Yes, the Messiah is prophesied for the Israelites. But this Savior is not only intended to bring God’s love to Israel. “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6) Through God’s promised servant, in Jesus, God will bring His saving love to “the ends of the earth!”

Sometimes God’s people today have trouble sharing Jesus with others. We may feel shy. We might think that some folks are not the kind of person that God wants. Sometimes we look like little children who don’t want to share their popcorn, hording God’s grace for ourselves and being unwilling to share. God wants His love in Jesus to be proclaimed to all, and to be shared personally with each person. “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6)

Who do you know who needs the compassion, the forgiveness, the direction, the hope of Jesus? God calls you to be generous with His grace and love which He has given you.

Jonathan Rockey is the pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer.