John 3:3-4
Stop.
Get a good look at the sky. Whether it’s sunny, cloudy, snowy, or windy, spend some time admiring the expanse of the sky above you. Take some time to breathe deeply.
Listen.
Jesus answered [Nicodemus], “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” – John 3:3-4
Reflect.
Born from above. Born again. Born anew. All these words are very reasonable translations for the word Jesus uses in his response to the teacher Nicodemus, here translated as born from above. These words have become a hot topic in contemporary Christianity. The idea of being born again means different things to different people, and too often, it’s used as a dividing line between accurate and inaccurate belief.
Note that Nicodemus takes things completely the wrong way, either on purpose or by accident. He takes Jesus’ idea of new birth very, very literally. Jesus corrects him later in verse 5 by specifying that you must be “born of water and Spirit.” So, not a literal birth, but still not a very clear definition. Still, plenty of room for people to insert their own interpretations and put each other down for being wrong in the meantime.
However, Jesus seems to have chosen his words intentionally. He could have chosen much more specific words to describe what he meant. Instead, he keeps things very metaphorical. He intends some level of newness, but also of spirituality and divine action. He means for Nicodemus – and, by extension, all of us – to hear that a full entry into an experience of God’s life and love means being new, being different, being above it all but still part of it all.
When we notice the expansiveness of the sky, we have a sense of the miracle of being “born from above”. We can envision just how wide God’s action is in the world, just how little we understand of it, and how small we are as one piece of it. We also recognize how much God must value us if we, one little speck under all that sky, are still chosen and beloved by God. And better yet, we realize that we are part of a greater mystery, one where our new life isn’t solely determined by our actions, but a gift of our loving God.
Pray.
God, I admit that I don’t always know what I’m supposed to do or how I’m supposed to be. Everyone seems to have a different opinion of what it really means to follow you. Please, just keep me focused on you. Help me to hear your call. Let me be born anew, again and again, always starting each day with renewed trust in your gift of life. Amen.
Carry On.
When you hear Jesus say you must be born from above (or born again, or born anew), what does that mean to you? How do you experience that in your life? Can you ask a friend or family member of a different faith tradition what they think it means?