Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Opening Scripture

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. 1 Timothy 4:4

Opening Prayer

Gracious Father, I believe you can do immeasurably more than I can ask or imagine, according to Your power at work within me. Help me to trust You today to meet all my needs. May Your love and peace be present and evident in my life. May others see Jesus in me. In His name I pray. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

Acts 10

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.

The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.

About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.” Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?” The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

 The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”

While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”

Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”

Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Then Peter said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

Reflection  

Today’s long reading describes a pivotal shift in the spread of Christianity. The importance of this event is evidenced by the fact that Luke recounts it here and mentions it again in Chapters 11 and 15.

Things are happening at a mind-boggling pace in the book of Acts. The Mother Church in Jerusalem has discovered that Samaritans can also receive salvation in Jesus’ name. A converted Ethiopian official has taken the gospel home with him. Perhaps most surprising, Saul the Persecutor has become a Christian, and the Jews want to kill him!

Finally, things slow down a bit. Acts 9:31 says, “Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.” During that time, Peter traveled west to check on the believers in that area. In Lydda, he healed a paralytic man. In Joppa, he raised a woman from the dead. As a result of these miracles, many more people came to faith in Jesus.

That leads us to today’s passage. God sets up this divine appointment with both parties through visions and angelic instructions. Cornelius was a Roman Centurion in charge of one hundred soldiers in the Italian Regiment. He was “devout and God-fearing,” which made him a prime candidate to receive the gospel.

Located some thirty miles north of Joppa, Caesarea was the headquarters of the Roman occupation forces. After Cornelius’ vision, he quickly sent three of his staff down to Joppa to locate “Simon Peter.” Meanwhile, Peter had his own unsettling vision. Three times he refused God’s command to eat what the Law said was “unclean,” so as not to “defile” himself. The three refusals recall Peter’s three denialsand three affirmations of love for Jesus.

God was still expanding Peter’s understanding of His glorious plan of redemption, and because of God’s perfect timing, Peter was able to immediately put that new insight into practice by inviting three “unclean” visitors to join him for lunch and spend the night. After comparing stories about what God was doing, the next day they headed for Caesarea, accompanied by some Christians from Joppa.

As a result of their faithfulness to God’s instruction, Cornelius and the family and friends he had invited to hear Peter became the first Gentiles after Pentecost to hear the good news of Jesus and respond in faith. They received the Holy Spirit and were baptized, again to the amazement of the Jewish believers.

Flourishing Habit

Flourishing Christians

After his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul tried to join the Christians in Jerusalem, but they were understandably suspicious of him. He needed an advocate, and up stepped Barnabas, whose name means “Son of Encouragement.” Barnabus spoke up for Paul, and the group eventually accepted him.

“When Paul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul, on his journey, had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord” (Acts 9:26-28).

“The Pygmalion Effect” is a psychological phenomenon where higher expectations placed on individuals lead to improved performance. It suggests that, when teachers or leaders believe in someone’s potential, it can create a self-fulfilling prophecy that enhances that person’s success. Functionally, it follows this progression:

• How you see people shapes how you treat people.
• How you treat people shapes who they become.
• High expectations lead to improved performance.

A related psychological phenomenon is “The Power of Mattering.” Mattering is the general belief that you are important to others. Mattering is a powerful motivator! Our self-concept is largely shaped by “reflected appraisals” – the feedback we get from others that helps us understand who we are. Positive reflected appraisals help us develop two essential self-beliefs that drive our behavior: the belief that we are worthy (self-esteem) and capable (self-efficacy).

From the very beginning, a parent’s most important job is to help their child believe that they matter by being seen, heard, and valued. And we don’t stop needing and wanting that positive reinforcement as we grow older.

One simple and powerful way to cultivate your own sense of mattering is to help the people around you believe that they matter. You can flourish by helping someone else flourish! Practice noticing people. Make eye contact. Smile. Greet them. Affirm their contribution. Remind them that they’re needed. Let them know they matter!

Think back to a moment when someone made you feel like you truly mattered. What did they say or do? How did it impact you?

Think about the next interaction you will have. What can you do to make that person feel seen, heard, and valued? What can you notice, appreciate, or ask about?

Remember: Nothing changes until something changes!