“Well bred”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Friday. August 19, 2022

John 6:27-40 (Forward, p. 21) CEV p. 1108

I guess that I am an incurable punster, which means, in the context of today’s passage from John’s Gospel, that I couldn’t help but think that Jesus, the true bread that comes down from heaven, is also ‘well bred’, meaning that He has come from the Father.

But He is well bred in yet some other senses as well. I like to think that a well-bred person is honourable in character and deportment and firmly and resolutely committed to helping the general public. And, what is more, does a good job of it. Here Jesus does indeed excel. He fulfills our hunger and thirst like no other ever could, such that that hunger and thirst are completely satisfied. Furthermore, He is entirely faithful to the Father, both in doing what He has ordered, and in safeguarding everything and everyone that the Father has given Him. And, what is more, all those who put their faith in Him will have eternal life and will be raised up on the last day. Here I cannot think of some sort of “Prince of Wales’ who carefully, dutifully and diligently carries out His royal duties, the duties as mandated by His sovereign—in this case, God. And, who does all this, not for Himself, but simply for us, His friends and disciples. I cannot but be impressed by such a faithful, well-bred servant of God. And, so it is rather fitting and appropriate that we give Him our praise, honour, love and obedience. Amen.

Forward notes: “So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing?’” (verse 30)

“Years ago, I grabbed a book and headed to an outdoor concert to avoid a blind date. A young man sat down next to me, and we started to talk about the book. The rest is history. I didn’t know that he would become an astrophysicist, dedicated to teaching and helping others in a multitude of ways, or that he would become my beloved husband for more than fifty years. That day, all I saw was the outside; all I heard was his voice.

“I was like the crowd, who, after being fed loaves and fishes, asked Jesus for a sign. He was there, but they didn’t really see, didn’t believe, so when they ask to receive the bread of heaven always, Jesus has to remind them that he is the bread of life.

“To reach for that bread of life means that we will never be hungry, never be thirsty. All we need to do is look beneath the surface at the Christ who is present always with us, and we will find eternal life.”

Moving Forward: “Do you ask God for ‘signs’? How has God answered you?”