14But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? 15And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
~Romans 10:14-15
News is all around us … good news … bad news … and conflicting news. It all seems a bit much, doesn’t it? I sometimes feel like my day is overwhelmed with consuming and processing news to figure out what’s really happening around me.
You and I are called to be bearers of good news. As Paul asks in Romans 10, “how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard?” But how is this good news message of Jesus supposed to be heard in the midst of all of the other news that surrounds and befuddles? How are people to hear it when so many seem to be suspect of news, but especially the news of Jesus as a symbol of “religion?” How are people to hear it when this Christian religion that follows Jesus has been marred by institutional corruption through the centuries? How are people to hear it when this Christian religion is pro-claimed by people who do not appear to truly live the good news in their own lives and in their own relationships?
This is not a cop-out, but we can’t do anything about the corruption of the past or how other people behave who proclaim Christ. Paul reminds us: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!” We can’t make people believe or force people to listen. Our call is simply to bring the good news through our lives and words and actions. One thing is for sure, if no one brings the good news, people certainly won’t be able to hear it.
In Christ,
Pastor Jeff
Epicurious Lutheran 