You in Me and Me in You
by Pauli Hubbard
What a privilege to write devotional thoughts! This week’s passage in our lectionary is from Matthew 10.40-42. It is my custom to read many different translations, to see what words speak to me. This time Eugene Petersen’s
The Message
really
caused me to sit back on my heels! Here it is:
40-42:
"We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father, who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God's messenger. Accepting someone's help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work I've called you into, but don't be overwhelmed by it. It's best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won't lose out on a thing.”
In studying this passage, I practiced
lectio divina
. What is that? It is a way to become very personally immersed in a piece of scripture. More could be said about this practice, but I need to return to what I discovered.
I have purposely underlined the part of this passage which startled me. It was these underlined passages which I have gone back and forth with for the past three weeks. What exactly does this mean...’
accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God’s messenger
‘?
Last night as I was almost to sleep the answer came to me.
As I closed my eyes, I saw myself giving a person sitting on the curb a bottle of water, as he lifted his face to me, I stepped back... what I saw was my face! His reaction was as startling... for he saw his face in mine!
Is this oneness?
Thank you for allowing me this opportunity.
Namaste.
Pauli
