Daily Reflections From Higher Things®

Today's Reading: Luke 6:36-42 Daily Lectionary: Joshua 23:1-16; Acts 12:1-25 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:36) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The motto, "Deeds, not creeds," is not only utter nonsense (the motto itself is a creed, after all), but it is also utterly unchristian. The Christian faith is all about creeds. In Luke 9:20 Jesus asks His disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" The world might admire Jesus and speak highly of Him, but true disciples confess the truth about Jesus. Indeed, the entire Bible is about what Jesus does: He became man for you, He obeyed the Law, He was crucified for your sins, and He was raised for your justification. That creed is the heart of Christianity. What makes the motto really silly is that it fails to see that creeds create deeds. What you believe affects what you do. Hence, Jesus tells His disciples to be merciful, but not simply to practice any kind of mercy. They are to practice the mercy of their heavenly Father! This presumes, of course