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The Forward Day by Day Meditation for June 11, 2021

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FRIDAY, June 11 Saint Barnabas the Apostle

Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for an entire year they met with the church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called “Christians.”

The word “Christian,” as seen in today’s passage, can function as a proper noun (“I’m a Christian”) or an adjective (as in “Christian music”).

As a proper noun, Christian seems to have a negative connotation these days. While American Christians generally enjoy much freedom and ease, many Christians feel a growing disdain from the general public. While some may attribute this to society’s declining interest in Godly things, a more helpful explanation is, at least in part, because of Christians ourselves. The conflation of partisan politics with Christianity, the reluctance among some Christians to try to understand people who are different, and the self-righteousness that comes too easily to us Christians (myself included) streak the windows of Christian souls. We Christians should reveal our loving Savior to the world as clearly as we can, wary of worldly structures and our spiritual blind spots.

MOVING FORWARD: Will they know you are Christian by your life and love?

PRAY for the Diocese of Chicago (USA)

Ps 112 | Isaiah 42:5-12 | Acts 11:19-30; 13:1-3 | Matthew 10:7-16