A Red Letter Reflection

I don’t quite know how the tradition was started, but I like it.  In many Bibles, the words of Jesus were printed in red ink.  That red ink set those words apart.  They seemed to jump off the page as if to say, “pay attention!”  I had a time in my life when those words not only jumped off the page, they bowled me over.  I was studying the Great Commission when one particular phrase caught my attention.  Here’s the quote:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)

Note what I’ve italicized.  We are to teach people to do the things that Jesus has commanded.  That begs a very important question.  What has Jesus commanded us?  I began to quiz myself out of curiosity.  A sick feeling overwhelmed me as I realized that I could only name one or two of the commands of Jesus off the top of my head.  This is the Great Commission!  These are Jesus’ final words to his disciples in Matthew’s Gospel!  I’m a pastor and I can only name a few?!  It was a legitimate crisis.

The only solution to the crisis was to dive into the red letters and find the commands of Jesus.  Matthew ended his Gospel telling us to follow Jesus’ commands.  They had to be in there.  So, I poured myself into the words of Jesus.  It was different this time.  I didn’t just want to know what Jesus said, I sought to obey His commands.  My heart was open.  It was awful and wonderful.  Some of the commands of Jesus cut like a knife.  I knew the command, but in my heart, I didn’t really want to do it.  It was awful.  Other commands felt like a lifeline in the midst of a turbulent sea.  Hope was in those words.  It was wonderful.  Awful or wonderful, the commands of Jesus were on my heart, and my life was changed.

Something strange started happening.  The red letters became my letters… or words, that is.  I remember the first time it happened.   I was discussing a challenging matter with a leader of the church.  In the moment when we felt the most stuck, the words of Jesus came to my lips.  I don’t remember which ones, but in the moment, they were the right ones.  Jesus’ words lit up a path we would have totally missed otherwise.  We followed Jesus’ command and the situation was handled… God’s way. 

It’s hard to describe what happened next.  I had a strange new confidence, but it wasn’t in me.  It was like I carried Jesus within me.  His words were on my heart and on my lips.  When I was tempted, the red letters showed me a different way.  When I had to guide people through tragedy, Jesus spoke, not me.  When I had to confront bad behavior, I would use the words of Jesus to guide us to better choices.  Not everybody listened, but those who did were blessed.  So was I. 

I was teaching them to observe all that Jesus had commanded us. 

The red letters of Jesus don’t speak to every specific situation you will face, but He does give us direction for how to reflect God’s love and truth in this crazy world.  Open your heart to the words of Jesus.  Read the red letters and let them change you.  Bring Jesus with you so that His words can be your words.