Week 50—Tuesday Colossians 3:12-14
Week 50—TUESDAY
Colossians 3:12-14
“THE FUNDAMENTAL TENDENCIES
OF THE UNIVERSE ARE IN JESUS CHRIST”
In one of our Round Table Conferences a sociologist said this penetrating and important thing: “I find in my study of sociology that the fundamental tendencies of the universe are in Jesus Christ.” Note that he found this “in my study of sociology.” In the study of the facts he found he was led to the Fact of Christ. And in Christ were “the fundamental tendencies of the universe.” In other words he found what someone said: “Jesus is the incarnation of universals.”
What are some of these “universals” incarnate in Jesus which are also “fundamental tendencies of the universe”?
One can see them at work. First, “the greatest of all must be the servant of all.” We call the head of a state a “Prime Minister,” or “First Servant.” And if a prime minister doesn’t prove to be the “First Servant” of the people, but is rather self-serving, we put him or her out. Not reelected. The cells that serve the rest are normal cells, the cells that do not serve the rest are cancerous, so they are operated on and eliminated. “The Struggle for the life of Others” is the key to survival, says Prokotkin. These are fundamental tendencies of the universe and they are found supremely in Jesus.
Second, you must “love your neighbor as you love yourself.” If you don’t love your neighbor as you love yourself, you can’t get along with your neighbor and you can’t get along with yourself. God has us hooked. We reject the commandment, and we reject ourselves and our neighbor in the process. It is a fundamental tendency in the universe that you love your neighbor as yourself. This is supremely illustrated in Jesus Christ. When you think of loving, you think of Jesus almost automatically. That “tendency” has become universally associated with him.
O Jesus, I cannot think of the good without thinking of you for you are Goodness. I cannot think of the true without thinking of you, the Truth. I cannot think of the beautiful without seeing you, the Beautiful. I see everything in you. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: Whenever I find an intimation of the noble, the good, the true, I find that intimation is illustrated in Jesus.