The lectionary reading for today gives us verses 14-21, but that’s like reading the end of the mystery book without knowing the whole story. So, we have included all of the verses today.

[Read John 3:1-21]

For many years, I lived in a small town. It was fun to be able to walk to the community center, the hair salon, and the library. Since I could walk there, I went to the library a lot. I knew the staff, and it was easy to run in and get a new book. It was fun to talk to the staff, and catch up on their news whenever I went in.

But because I knew the library staff so well, there were certain things that I never, ever checked out there. If I had something embarrassing to check out, I went to the library in the next town over, where they didn’t know me… and where I wouldn’t run into my neighbor…