The Word became flesh and blood, and moved right into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish.
I love this version of this verse! What a great picture it paints of who Jesus is, what he came to do, and how he did it. He did it by moving right into the neighborhood with the regular folk. There would be no high class dwelling set apart and fit for the king he was – only sandals, dusty feet, and a welcome mat thrown out for any who would follow.
Jesus’ entire ministry lasted 3 years…1260 days. New Testament scholars estimate that out of all that time only around 52 days are actually depicted in the gospels. That’s not a lot…but it begs us to ask a question. What was Jesus doing the rest of the time?
I would suggest that he was doing ordinary, day to day things with his friends and family. Living life side by side, resting, laughing, eating, traveling, grieving, and playing with those around him. He made the most of his time by engaging in life with those around him and by doing so, changing hearts and lives and impacting the world in ways no one would have expected.
His ministry was far more than the 52 days we can read about in Scripture. The same is true for you and for me. Our ministry isn’t summed up in the number of times we served in KidZone, or in the pots of coffee we made for those at church last weekend. Please don’t mistake the point I’m trying to make! Those acts of service are wonderful and remarkable, but they are not the complete picture. Serving in those types of ways should complement our presence in the daily lives of those around us. Loving our friends, family, neighbors, coworkers well. Bringing life through Jesus to the world we encounter.
