11/15/21 Devotional from Ed
Weekly Devotional from Ed Black
Text: Colossians 3:12 “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”
Devotional: Have you ever had to take an Enneagram personality test? It’s an assessment to help an individual learn more about their personality and how they can potentially work with individuals with different personalities. In other words, it helps you understand you and (potentially) everybody else.
When an Enneagram consultant reviewed my recent test, she said one thing in response to a question about the trickiness of ministering to all types of personalities. She said, “Ministry is the long, loving look at the real.”
Our problems, our hurt, our triumphs, and our joys are real. And while our personalities may respond to our emotions differently, we all were been born as a human. We can’t change who we are and what has happened. One of the guarantees we can’t escape is both good and bad happen in life at unpredictable times.
The past two years have certainly been unpredictable. However, what a privilege it is that we get to have a “loving look at the real” within our church family and beyond as disciples of Christ. Many in our church family are hurting as we inch closer to Thanksgiving. Let’s do our part to all be ministers – to reach out and be a presence to those whose “real” life is anything but ideal.
May we see Christ in others, and may they see Christ in us.
Prayer: Dear God, Fill us with your Spirit this day and beyond. The hurt that exists in this busted world is real. Grant us the strength to minister as you want us to, as you call us to – as disciples of Christ who show your love to all with whom we come into contact. Amen.
