Key Verse for Today: Isaiah 42:6, "I, the LORD, have called you for a good reason. I will grasp your hand and guard you, and give you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations,"
I was appalled to discover that my daughter Kyla was dealing with conflict with another girl saying mean things about her at school. The appalling thing was that she was in first grade!
I was so proud to hear that she did just that! She went right up to her on the playground and asked to speak with her. Some of the girl's other friends were present and so Kyla told them that they need to talk in private (basically to buzz off but in a tactful way). At this point, the girl was uncomfortably squirming. Kyla asked her point-blank why she had been saying the mean things about her.
Now the squirming led to back-tracking and denial. Kyla kept after her and finally got her to commit to not talking about her anymore. As far as we knew, she never said mean things about Kyla anymore. There were probably easier marks to pick on that wouldn't be quite so confrontational. Or maybe she learned a lesson about saying rumors and untruths.
I would hope for the latter.
God was grasping Kyla's hand and guarding her through this process but was also working through her as a covenant to the people - a light to the nations so to speak. Even if those nations were just first graders.
It may be odd to consider yourself as a covenant to other people. But that is how God works in the world. So the next time you are in a tough situation, imagine God grasping your hand. And then using you as a kind of cosmic flashlight - shining light to a dark situation.
As we begin Holy Week, we realize that this is a part of our calling in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Breath Prayer: Blessed God, hold my hand.
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