Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” Matthew 16:23

We live in a world and society where money, power, and prestige have become idols, and we think our worth is based on how much we have in the bank, how much control we have over others, and how much people admire us. Yet Jesus teaches us that our worth lies in our inner being, our true heart that reflects God’s love and goodness. And Jesus shows us the way home to God, the source of our life, the One who loves us at all times, in all circumstances. We are to share our resources with those less fortunate, seek ways to carry out God’s will that all people be united in love and peace, and serve others without seeking recognition or reward.

Today I will take time to discern how money, power, and prestige—my own or others’—influence my thinking, attitudes, words, actions, and behaviors. I will ask God’s Spirit to guide me on the path of wholeness, truth, and love.

Jesus said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” Matthew 10:28

We are free to follow Jesus, to do God’s will of love and peace, to speak out against injustice, greed, racism, war, and all that discounts the preciousness of human life in every form.

We are more than our physical bodies. We are the light of God’s love in our hurting, fragile world. We are the voice of God’s peace, kindness, and reconciliation. We are the presence of God’s comfort and healing.

By the resurrection of Jesus, we know that life does not end with death. We have nothing to fear by following him on the way of love.

Today I will sit quietly and observe the sensations in my body. Because I can watch moment-to-moment physical changes happen, I will know I am greater than this fragile human body. I will ask the Lord to teach me the truth of who I am.