Authentic Living

So I thought I’d share a few of my devotional thoughts from today…

• Scripture:

By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently.

Luke15:1(The Message)

• Observation:

There is obviously something beyond the miracles and lessons that Jesus was teaching that compelled these people to hang with Him.  Surely the rabbis were full of good lessons, they were pretty smart, the best of the best academically.  If they wanted good lessons they could go to the rabbis.  It couldn’t be that they wanted to hang around because of the miracles, they wouldn’t be there “listening intently” if that were the case.  It seems to me that the only thing that could have caused this reaction among the people was the deep, authentic love of Jesus.

• Application:

The focus of my living today needs to be on authenticity.  I need to let people experience me, who Jesus is making me, and the love of Christ within me.