Emily Cornish
Isaiah 11: 3-5
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears, but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.
Advent is my favorite season; full of hope, and happiness and expectation. We are giddy with anticipation waiting for the birth of Jesus, and the holiday shopping and food doesn’t hurt either. As I sit here in my cozy apartment admiring the lights on my Christmas tree and wonderfully scented candles a-glow, I think about this anticipation and other expectations begin to creep into my mind. Am I living up to my own expectations or the expectations others have of me? Am I always treating others with the respect they deserve and who is the judge of this?
The answer is seemingly simple. God is the judge of this, for God values righteousness and justice. By turning towards others and offering them the help they need we are inspiring a world of peace, love and tranquility. As you go about your days, finishing your Christmas shopping or enjoy a cup of hot chocolate in front of your Christmas tree, strive to find ways in which you can inspire righteousness and justice within your community. Join me in a prayer for the world and the fair treatment of the poor of the earth. For those who are poor in love, respect, money, justice or simply in need of a helping hand or kind word this Advent season. Set the self-expectation to treat all others equally, with the love and respect they deserve, for it is not up to us to be the judge of others but to make the most of the time that is given to us.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, come soon. Come to us and exceed our expectations, let us know that you alone are the judge of not only us, but of all those who we are so often too quick to judge ourselves. Let us open our hearts and minds this holiday season and treat all others with the respect they deserve. Amen.
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