Day 12
Every year as the Christmas season approaches, I look forward to the musical versions of A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. My favorite for the longest time stars Kelsey Graham as Ebenezer Scrooge, but a few years ago another musical version starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds took the lead.
In the 2022 film Spirited, the “ripple effect” represents how one person’s redemption—specifically the dubbed “unredeemable” Clint Briggs—creates a positive, far-reaching impact on society, reversing the cycle of division. The film emphasizes that every small action, word and choice has the potential to create an often unmeasured, lasting and expanding influence on the world. One of the songs only included in the closing credits details the thesis of the entire musical and, in my opinion, Dickens’ original story, entitled “Ripples,” specifically the lyrics from this verse:
Now if we choose this dude, one goes to two and four
And then it jumps from four to eight
(Ripple, ripple, ripple)
Yes, soon you guys, it multiplies to thousands more
Can you hear it reverberate? (Ripple, ripple, ripple)
Then to millions and to billions and it never ends (it never ends)
All across the world the change is gaining some traction
Ripple effect theory describes how a single action or event creates a chain reaction of spreading consequences, much like pebbles dropped in water, impacting an increasingly larger system over time. It is clearly seen, not only in meteorological contexts but also social, psychological, and economic, where small inputs/pebbles (or lack thereof) can lead to disproportionately large, even worldwide outcomes.
Today we read of the third pebble that Jesus tosses into His missional life, creating ripples, seen and unseen, of God’s love for the world. I don’t believe it is any coincidence that John’s gospel is demonstrating, even proving God’s love for the whole world, as stated in John 3:16, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John’s first example shows Jesus bringing the gospel to respected Jewish teacher, Nicodemus, then to an outcast Samaritan woman, and today we read of a Gentile official working for the Roman government needing the life and light that only comes through Jesus. Jesus is proving by implication from these examples, that He has come for everyone…the ripples will extend to the entire world!
Read John 4:43-54
After spending two days in the Samaritan town of Sychar, sharing the truth of Himself and the Kingdom of God, Jesus and His disciples headed to Galilee, where He was warmly welcomed. Many of these Galilean Jews had seen Jesus in Jerusalem during the recent Passover Festival. They had witnessed Him overturning the tables in the Gentile’s court and heard His claim to rebuild the destroyed temple in a mere three days. I imagine they were inspired to see a regular man from their part of the country taking on the religious establishment. They were thrilled Jesus was there!
Jesus and His entourage entered Cana, where He had attended the wedding ceremony with His mother and had performed His first miraculous sign, turning water into wine. There a mid-level official, most likely a Gentile centurion in the service of Herod Antipas, approached Jesus for help. The centurion was based in Capernaum, 20-25 miles from Cana, requiring a full day’s walk. Because the journey involves descending from the higher elevation of Cana down to Capernaum, which was along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, it would take 5-6 hours of travel. This man’s son was terribly sick and the centurion was desperate to help him in any way he could. When he heard that Jesus was on the move in Galilee, he left his sick son and got to Cana as quickly as he could to plead for help from Jesus. There was nothing this father wouldn’t do for his son.
Jesus’ challenge, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe” (v 48) was not only to the royal official, but also to the Galilean people in general, Jews and Gentiles. Many had become entranced with His signs and wonders and failed to see that they were pointing to Jesus, failing to believe. But don’t mistake Jesus’ meaning in this statement. He is not judging the Galileans because they are desirous of divine signs. On the contrary, Jesus’ miracles were one of the primary and intentional means God used to bring people from all backgrounds to faith in Him. Jesus simply wanted these witnesses to move through the signs to Him - to follow Him and place their faith in Him as the promised Messiah.
“Go…your son will live.” (v 50) Jesus knew that a miracle had happened; that Jesus himself had healed the centurion’s son. But would his father have faith to trust Jesus? Would he instead anxiously beg Jesus to make the day-long trek? Or even throw his authority around and command Jesus to come and heal his son in person? “The man believed what Jesus said to him and departed.” (v 50)
Can you imagine how this father must have felt as he was traveling back home and was greeted by his servants who assured him that his son was alive? And when he heard that his son perked up at the very moment of his conversation with Jesus? He couldn’t wait to get home and tell his wife and son what Jesus had done for them. Because of his testimony, he and his entire household believed! An entire family changed. Can you imagine the ripple effects?
Big Picture Questions for Today:
* Think about the ripples that brought the gospel to you. How far can you trace back those ripples? How one person, perhaps even generations before you, heard the good news of Jesus, how it changed his or her life and how generations later, here you are, reading of where those ripples originated, more than 2000 years ago, in the Son of God, the promised Messiah, Jesus.
Pray for the faith to consistently input small acts of compassion and kindness into your relationships, and while you will probably never see them, expect ripple effects.
