Rev. Michelle's Message April 3, 2025

I don’t know about all of you, but I have been thinking a lot about last week’s lesson about transactional relationships, those relationships where we give something in exchange for receiving something, those relationships where “I scratch your back and you scratch my back,” so to speak.

And I’ve been thinking about how Jesus in this story cautions us about these types of relationships, urging us to move toward more transformational relationships. I’ve been thinking about what Jesus says about material rewards versus spiritual rewards, how when we give to someone or help someone who cannot repay us, our reward will be a spiritual one.

I have been reflecting on my relationships both within ministry and in my personal life. I can’t really tell you yet exactly what conclusions I’ve come to, but the point is that I’ve been thinking about it. After all, that is just about always Jesus’ point—to make us think.

You know how Socrates said that “an unexamined life is not worth living”? Well, I think Jesus wants us to live an examined life. I think Jesus wants us to turn off the auto-pilot and become mindful of the choices we make and how we live our lives.

Jesus wants us to look at things in a different way, to come at things from a different angle, considering perspectives we might not have considered previously. He doesn’t always tell us precisely what conclusions we are supposed to come to; he often leaves that up to us. But he definitely wants us to reflect on our relationships, on our behavior, how we treat others, how we spend our time, and where we put our focus.

If you find that any of these stories of Jesus at table that we are studying for Lent are making you think, if you find yourself reflecting and considering things in a different light, then just know that the genius of Jesus is working on you.

Unity teaches that we all have the ability to access divine wisdom within, and Jesus, too, knows that we ultimately have all the answers we seek within ourselves. I hope you are taking some time between Sundays to reflect on these powerful teachings. Let them work on you throughout the week, just as Jesus intended. I know they are surely working on me.

Lenten Blessings,

Rev. Michelle