Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 14

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

                                                                    Matthew 5:31-32 (NRSVue)

It was not an easy time to be a woman, that's for sure.

According to Jewish Law, if a man found something he didn't like about his wife and lied about her, saying, "She wasn't a virgin when we married", the woman's father could spread the bed sheet from their wedding night in public to prove her innocence.  If they have this proof on record, the man is not allowed to divorce her but has to remain married to her.  

This doesn't sound like much of a prize for the woman!

Except that divorced women in that culture and time didn't have a lot of options for making a living or being accepted in community.  Remember the Samaritan woman at the well who went all alone in the heat of the day to fetch water?  She had had many husbands but it seemed few friends, likely because of her status.

So the sense that the man who slandered his wife had to remain married to her was better than the alternative.

This is a lot more than they used to get.

This passage on the prohibition of divorce was a lifting up of women.  Notice which gender does the divorcing in this context.   It was a compassionate ethic that lifted up a gender without many protections.

As we consider our own context, we have more options for women today.  But we also realize that single mothers are more likely to be living in poverty than two-parent families.  Single mothers often work jobs that make it more difficult to help their children with their schoolwork. They may be less likely to have the time to attend teacher's meetings if problems arise.  

I mention women here to the exclusion of men because of the statistical disadvantage they have over men.  Jesus lifted them up with this provision against divorce.

As we move through Lent, how do we follow the example of Jesus and lift up women today?  How do we encourage and offer compassionate stances?  Where can we make a difference in the life of someone we know?

Prayer for the day: Gracious God, we give thanks for the people in our lives who have nurtured and cared for us.  For most of us, much of our love, care and support came early on through the love of our mothers.  Help us to instill confidence in all your children so that they may be able to fully respond to your call on their lives - to be the person they can become.  We pray this in Jesus' name.  Amen.

 

Photo by Nemodus photos via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 13

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’  But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell."

                                                                        Matthew 5:27-30 (NRSVue)

At this point in the sermon, Jesus takes on adultery, the avoidance of which, of course, is one of the Ten Commandments.  But he highlights it for men here rather than women.  It is important to understand the culture of that time featured a patriarchy where women were passed as responsibilities from the father's household to the husband's household.  There was a lot of emphasis on lines of succession. Inheritance was kept in the family, even to the extent of the law making sure that property could eventually revert back to original families.

In this world, men had greater rights than women.  There is even a large section on jealousy that was designed to keep women in line.  There's no corresponding section for men to prove themselves faithful.

And so Jesus goes over the top in his example.  No one is actually going to pluck out their eye or cut off their hands.  I've never seen even the staunchest literalist try to say that this passage should be taken as is.  Jesus uses hyperbole in order to emphasize how one-sided gender roles were around adultery.

Since we have a modern sensibility concerning gender equality, we can utilize this passage to emphasize that we should not objectify people as sexual objects.  And while this would have been revolutionary in Jesus' day, it may be even more important in the 21st century when the internet may be pushing objectification to new heights.  

As we move through Lent, how do we have respect for one another?  Do we have respect for who we are rather than for what kind of value we may hold for another?  What-have-you-done-for-me-lately attitudes do seem prevalent today.  Commerce is so ingrained in our culture that sometimes it comes up in relationships too.  Jesus seems to be calling us to a higher morality in how we see others.  When we see others like Jesus, we can keep our eyes intact!

Prayer for the day: Gracious God, we give thanks that you see us as more than commodities to be utilized.  While you do call us to service, you love us regardless of whether we answer or not, simply for who we are.  Help us to embrace this higher ethic for how we see one another.  We pray these things in Jesus' name.  Amen.

 

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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 12

“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment, and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council, and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.  So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.  Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.  Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny."

                                                                    Matthew 5:21-26 (NRSVue)

What if you say worse than, "You fool?"  

Jesus has quit preaching and gone to meddling as the old joke goes.  In today's culture, we seem to go quickly from zero to sixty in a matter of seconds with regards to things getting heated or under our skin.

I hear people describing behavior as toxic when it really is just disagreement.  

We are quick to cut off relationships if any speed bump comes along.  

What happens to society when we view people or at least our affiliations with them as disposable?

Fortunately, I believe that Jesus' crowd probably had much the same reaction as we do today.  There was a lot more pressure then - their stresses came in the way of not having enough food to feed their families.  In order to earn money, they may have had to work or rub shoulders with the foreign occupiers of their country.  It may have been easy for those who did have enough to shun those who didn't for this very behavior.  And of course, in an interconnected society, the amount of capitulation always comes in degrees.

So today's message from Jesus may be hard but it is flat-out good advice for stability of a community on any scale.  

Sometimes a real fight begins through silliness.

From a Family Systems perspective, the unhealthy responses to difficulty in any relationship vacillate between being fused (where you are so close to the person, neither of you function well independently) and being cut-off (where you end the relationship entirely).

The healthy response is to maintain relationship while keeping safe boundaries.   This requires mutual respect and forgiveness.  To be clear, when a person is in a relationship that is truly harmful, it is important to distance so that health can be restored.  But I wonder if we are more sensitive to slight as a people than we used to be.  Is it a spiritual discipline to give the benefit of the doubt?

We cannot change someone else's behavior, but we can change our response.  We don't have to respond with slur or slander or even subtle dig.  We don't have to take it up a notch.  We don't have to lay waste to the situation so that they'll never mess with us again.

Many sermons today will re-emphasize their point throughout the sermon in different ways.  If you review the beatitudes, how many do you see present in today's verses?

During Lent, may we review some of the relationships that have ended.  Jesus seems to be saying that reconciliation may be the greatest gift we can give to God.  After all, what good parent wants to see their children fight?

Prayer for the day: Warm-hearted God, help us to see others through your eyes.  And let us hear people as you hear them.  When we find ourselves offended, may we take a second or a third look before we act upon it.  And when lines have been crossed, may we find the strength to pursue reconciliation.  We pray this in Jesus' name.  Amen.

 

Photo by Tony Kennick via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 11

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.  For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.  Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

                                                                Matthew 5:17-20 (NRSVue)

 

There are certain Jewish laws that most Christians don't observe today.  I'm pretty sure there was bacon on my salad the other day (which is problematic in its own right I know).  Our clothing mixes fabrics.  And if you've ever done any chores like mowing the lawn or washing your clothes on a Saturday, you've failed to observe one of the Ten! 

(Don't do any work on the Sabbath which was designated as Saturday.)

Does this mean we are breaking what Jesus commands us to do?

This probably depends on whether you are a literalist or not.  If you're reading this blog, the chances are that you do not believe that every passage must be interpreted literally or exactly the way it's written.  Literalism is a fairly modern way to interpret the Bible.  We started seeing it sometime in the 19th century with the idea that the Bible was inerrant as a part of the rise of fundamentalism.  This was when you started hearing that all passages of the Bible are equal.  It was a response to the scientific revolution and discoveries that were going on in the world at that time.  Interestingly enough, the Roman Catholic doctrine of papal infallibility also was presented in the 19th century.

In Jesus' day, rabbis often argued the texts of the Bible from specific passages or philosophies.  Some were key over others.  When Jesus is asked which commandment is the greatest, he doesn't respond, "That's a stupid question, they're all equal!"  Jesus informs us of his philosophical stance from the passages that were key for him.  We should love God with all our being and love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  Jesus sums this up for us in Matthew 22:40 by stating, " On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”  In Luke's Gospel, when the question of "and just who is my neighbor" comes in response to this teaching, Jesus answers with the parable of the Good Samaritan.

It's pretty easy to cross to the other side of the road

In that parable, the priest and the Levite avoid helping the accosted traveler - they remain Clean by refraining from touching his blood.  They technically are following the law.  But for Jesus, the greater law is helping the stranger.

So when there is conflict between biblical laws, one should first seek to love God and to love our neighbor.  This is following the philosophy or interpretation or rabbinical school of Jesus.  

Our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees who Jesus often critiqued for following the letter of the law and not the spirit of the law.  So as we see the teaching today, the letter of the law - the specifics - do remain important but in their place as subservient to the spirit or intent of the law, i.e., "all is accomplished."

During Lent, it may be helpful for us to think about when we have been caught in the details of our faith to the exclusion of something greater.

Prayer for the Day:  Gracious God, we do thank you for the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount.  They are challenging and we may often miss the mark.  But we do seek to be faithful and we believe that our intentions are pleasing to you.  Help us to follow through more often so that we may be great in the kingdom of heaven more often than least.  We pray these things in Jesus' name.  Amen.

 

Photo by Brett Davis via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 10

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.  People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."

                                                                            Matthew 5:14-16 (NRSVue)

 

If you live in an urban area, the chances are it never gets dark.  In fact, with all of our electronic lights from digital devices, clocks, screens, etc., it may not matter where you live.  Ambient light shines for us 24/7.  Even when you drive out of the city, you can still see the glow on the horizon.  

I'm not sure what this does for us psychologically, but it does dampen the power of Jesus' words simply because we don't live in the same context of darkness and light.

Jesus was likely telling this sermon first to a peasant class of people that were subjugated by a foreign power whose ruler whom they had never seen except on coins claimed to be divine.  These were people who had to receive these coins to earn a living who lived by the commandment, "Have no other gods before me."

In this sermon, Jesus does not proclaim himself as the light - which is a theological statement highlighted by John's Gospel.  He doesn't have to give his own accolades - the crowd was spellbound by the things he'd already been saying.  To a downtrodden, poor people who likely felt some sense of constant low-level guilt through their acceptance of the everyday circumstances, he proclaims to them, "You are the light of the world!"

Do you see the light shining through the cage?

The reversals of common assumptions keep coming.

What would have been their reaction?  Some may have laughed outright.  Ridiculous!  Some may have laughed nervously expecting the punchline because they are used to being the butt of someone's jokes.  Some may have walked away scornfully at this point, thinking that Jesus must be mad - people who have been thrown down too many times to imagine that they could get back up.  Angry at the indication that they should even try.

But Jesus doesn't waver at this.  This sermon or iterations of it must have been preached many times because Matthew wrote it down for the world to hear.  

For you to hear.

The anxieties seem to be at an all-time high in U.S. culture today.  These stresses come from all the changes we face.  Remember all that ambient light?  It comes from increases in technology which move faster than we can keep up.  It gives weariness to people that may rival that of the peasant class in Jesus' day.  It's just a different kind but it's no less real.

During the season of Lent as we walk with Jesus through the wilderness, what if you embraced your role as light for a day?  What would that look like for you?

Prayer for the day: Ever-present God, we do have times when get it - when we are happy and the joy bubbling up must be shared.   But we may be reluctant to let it out because it has been squashed by people before.  Help us to see that the darkness overcomes the light when we give in to this hesitance. Let us remember the words of Jesus that we are the light of the world and by your Spirit, embrace them. Amen.

 

Photo by Justin De La Ornellas via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 9

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything but is thrown out and trampled under foot."

                                                            Matthew 5:13 (NRSVue) 

We have so much salt, it sometimes gets pitched!

Growing up, my dad had high blood pressure and my mother stopped salting the food she prepared.  It was a seasoning I learned to do without and to this day salt carries a somewhat negative connotation for me.

However, if you eat out very much at all, you are going to get plenty of salt in your diet!

Our overabundance of this seasoning combined with easy access to refrigeration probably lets us read this statement from Jesus without much fanfare. But if we allow ourselves to return to an earlier time, salt was quite valuable.  There were salt taxes and it was a trading commodity.

Imagine Jesus telling you that you are valuable!  You preserve and enhance life!

The second piece of this verse seems to be a warning at first glance.  Beware of losing your effectiveness or hard-working attitude or joy or endurance or any number of positive attributes.  This doesn't sound like good news because all of us run out of positivity from time to time.  It may allow us to wonder, "When will I be trampled under foot?  It's only a matter of time!"

I wonder if this may have to do with the fickleness of people we encounter in life?  So many situations we run into seem to have a "what have you done for me lately?" vibe.  The idea that we can never slow down isn't biblical - just look at the institution of the Sabbath.

This saying may in fact be more closely connected to the previous verses on persecution.   Sometimes when we stand on the side of the good (hence, when we stand with the outcast or downtrodden), we may find ourselves used up.  Today, we speak of people in helping professions developing compassion fatigue.  

Our second General Rule is to do good.  But what if we've reached our limit and done all the good we possibly can?  We may feel that we've been trampled under foot.

In this instance, we recognize the third General Rule - to attend to our relationship with God through prayer (and other spiritual disciplines like reading this blog!).  And so in these situations, we may find our used-up selves being restored by a God who lifts up the downtrodden.  At these times, we return to the first part of the verse and hear God say - you are the salt of the earth!

Prayer for the day:  Loving God, allow us to share the goodness of this life with others.  May we enhance the joy of our daily encounters.  And when we get knocked down from time to time, it may be that we look over and see you on the floor with us.  And you smile and tell us that we are still salt to you no matter what.  May this assurance give us the confidence to arise once more.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

 

Photo by Ben Sutherland via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 8

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

                                                                        Matthew 5:10-12 (NRSVue)

 

Assuming you're not currently in a bad relationship, the easiest way to avoid persecution in the future would be to never pose any changes.

One of the main rules of systems theory is that systems resist change.  And of course, any relationship is a system of people interacting.  Most systems exert pressure on the individuals to get back in line - the pressure may be subtle or overt.  

Think about a family with a functioning alcoholic.  Is it easier to confront the person about their drinking or is it easier to say nothing?  Most families will continue to function as is until a breaking point comes and disrupts the system.

The right thing may be to identify the issue before the breaking point occurs but you are likely to be persecuted for the sake this righteousness.  You may even be labeled as self-righteous.

Can we stand in the midst of the persecution that is to come?  Thinking about this may keep us quiet.

From an organization standpoint, I like the Ronald Heifetz quote, "Leadership is disappointing your own people at a rate they can absorb."

This is due to the idea that introducing change (even positive changes) will likely be difficult for people to embrace.  Edwin Friedman tells us to expect sabotage when we seek to introduce health to a difficult situation.

As we look at who is saying these words, Jesus is being rather prophetic.  He may have been building to this because of all the reversals he was proclaiming in the beatitudes themselves.  

What did Jesus actually do that would get him crucified?

Author Douglas Adams suggests that it was for "saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change."  This is an exaggeration to an extent but maybe it is also basically true.

What does it mean to ask the community at large to respect people who are currently disrespected as a whole?

Alexei Navalny's recent death in Russian prison reminds us that political persecution is real.

Martin Luther King, Jr. ran up against all kinds of resistance during the Civil Rights movement.  On the day before his assassination, King stated in a speech, "I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land."

He may have also seen his own death coming but he continued to offer hope.  

As we move through Lent, may we find the courage to offer needed change to the systems we find ourselves in - and to maintain our stance even when there is resistance.

Prayer for the Day: Mighty Savior, you offered yourself to the world in so many ways.  We grieve the fact that people in power chose to reject you in the most extreme way possible.  But we also remember that death does not have the final say.  Help us to follow you even when it is difficult.  And when we falter along the way, pick us up, dust us off and walk with us along the path you would have us go.  We pray this in Christ together.  Amen.

 

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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 7

 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

                                                Matthew 5:9 (NRSVue)

 

When Jesus first uttered these words, it was in the midst of the Pax Romana or Roman Peace.  This term was not in use at the time of Jesus but the emperors did call themselves peacemakers.  Others may have called them this with the same sardonic tone that one today would call a handgun a peacemaker.  

It is also interesting to note that the emperors also called themselves "sons of God."

The Judeans also often referred to the anticipated messiah as the Son of God.   The messiah would be a war-maker, violently throwing off foreign rule.

Jesus begins to show that the messiah would be something different than expected.  Those who wage peace are the true heirs of God's blessing.  This kinship to God as God's children is shared not only by the messiah but also with those who pursue peace for the world and their lives.  The kinship Jesus establishes with those who are willing to act is later reflected in Matthew 12:50 when he states, "...whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

One could argue that the beatitudes are building on one another.  To be a peacemaker requires humility and a pure spirit.  It also requires mercy.

What if we imagined peacemaking as doing rescue work?

When Nelson Mandela led South Africa out of apartheid, he made a conscious effort not to fall into the trap of punishing those who were formerly in power.  This attempt at peacemaking required mercy on the part of those who were crying out for justice.  Peace meant a sacrifice in order to move forward.

As we see this on a larger scale, we can also see that the same conditions apply to a family system.  When we have been wronged, the pursuit of those crying for us to quickly make up may come too soon.  We may feel that some form of restitution (as an apology) is needed.  

What if it doesn't come?  

This is how relationships are cut-off.  In order to make the repair, it is often said that the injured must be the bigger person in the relationship. 

But many times our pride will not allow it.  And so we continue in strife or at least without that person in our lives.  

As we move through Lent, what would it take for you to step up as a peacemaker?  

We may find the blessing is in the release of our anger.  Jesus seems to indicate that this is how we remind ourselves who are really are: children of God. 

Prayer for the day: Ever-present Lord, you direct us to things that may seem too much for us.  We are merely human, after all.  We confess that we often nurture the harms done to us, even though they are not helpful to our spirits.  In these moments, being a peacemaker may seem impossible.  But we also believe that you do not leave us alone to this work.  Strengthen our resolve and let us see that we are large enough to repair relationships.  Remind us that with you, we are bigger than we could ever be as lone rangers.  We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, who calls disciples to share in the work.  Amen.

 

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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 6

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

                                 Matthew 5:8 (NRSVue) 

It is important to remember that Jesus preached these words in the midst of occupied Judea.  The Jewish leadership would have capitulated either overtly or subtly with the Roman rulers simply because they were allowed to operate.  Those who didn't play were removed.

This would allow the common people to question the motives of their leadership.

Would this leadership be seen as pure in heart or would they be seen as having ulterior motives?

Jesus likely took this from Psalm 73 which starts out with God being good (blessing?) to the pure in heart.  It goes on to disparage the wicked who are prosperous.  It is also confessional for the psalmist who admits to getting it wrong as much as anyone.  It ends with life coming from a nearness to God.

I think this is important in that in every age, it seems that we question the motives of our leadership.  As we move through an election year that may prove to be more divisive than anything we've seen in our lifetime, leadership becomes an easy target.  

Ironically, to be pure in heart may require us to look more inwardly at ourselves as per Psalm 73 than outwardly toward our neighbor (leader).

While often, we may think of seeing God in the beneficial actions of our neighbors, in this instance, it may be that we find God through our own self-examination.  God is present with us in the forgiveness we receive in repentance.  God is present with us when we can admit that we need to repent in the first place!

In an age where blame is widely cast and the buck never stops, this may be a discipline that helps us to grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Pure in heart may not be a state of being as much as a willingness to acknowledge that we need God's help.

As we move through the Lenten season, where may you need to re-examine your life in your assumption that you have it all together?

Prayer for the day: Loving God, we remember that Jesus once said that "only God is good."  We would seek to be pure in heart, but this may really just be an acknowledgement that we have far to go.  Help us to see ourselves honestly.  Let us be gracious in our reckoning just as you are gracious to us.  But let us also not be complacent, understanding that we can do better.  Finally, let us see you in the midst of our lives - that you don't abandon us to the work of improvement but rather strengthen us on our way.  We pray these things in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Photo by Pati Morris via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 5

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy."

                                     Matthew 5:7 (NRSVue)

 

The 23rd psalm is well known among the devout and is utilized at many funerals.  The psalm puts our trust in God and gives us assurance of God's preceding grace pursuing us throughout our lives.

The final verse begins, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life..."

This is a statement of faith and something hoped for - an outcome that would be favorable to us.

It's easier to forgive when someone shows remorse.

But today's beatitude sees mercy as a consequence of our own actions.  It feels a bit like karma and is similar to what I lifted up recently in the Lord's Prayer about "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."

A similar but negative thought from Job 4:8 has Eliphaz declaring, "As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same."

Paul later echoes this (after the Sermon on the Mount) in Galatians 6:7, "...you reap whatever you sow."  Paul goes on to a more positive take, bidding us not to grow weary of doing what is right.

What does it mean to cultivate a life of mercy?

How do we shape our own spirits when we seek to forgive? 

I've seen those who are more judgmental of others taking a harder fall when they eventually slip up (or their own failings become known).  Those who are more forgiving are judged with more tolerance.

This characteristic can become a discipline - the more we show mercy, the easier it becomes.  The reversal may also be true.

I'm reminded of the fable of the man visited by God and told that he would receive anything he asked for.  The only caveat would be that his neighbor, whom he despised, would receive a double portion of the request.  The man then told God, "Make me blind in one eye."

Bitterness does not sow life.  

As we move through Lent, is there anyone you can think of where you could see yourself having the same response as the man from the fable - even for a second?  In this moment, what would it look like to make an attempt in your heart at mercy?

Prayer for the day: Merciful God, I must confess that I often seek forgiveness for myself but do not always grant my neighbor the same regard.  I'm more satisfied with justice where they are concerned.  Give me eyes to see how they see and then grant me eyes to see how you see.  And only then, bring me back to my seat of judgment.  I pray these things in the name of Jesus who uttered from the cross, "Father, forgive them for they don't know what they are doing."  Amen.

 

Photo by Alex Beattie via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 4

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."

                                               Matthew 5:6 (NRSVue)

The original Greek word translated as "righteousness" is dikaiosune, which can also be translated as God's approval or divine justice.  This expanded definition gives us a better sense that our human desire should be that for which God wants for the world.  

We have a sense of this when we pray in the Lord's prayer, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." which Jesus will pick up later in the Sermon on the Mount.

This allows all of us to be theologians when we begin to ask, "What does righteousness and specifically, God's approval or justice, really look like?

Or in other words, if God's kingdom did come upon the earth like it is in heaven, what would that look like?

In Matthew's Gospel, we see this vision come to fruition in chapter 25 with the imagery of the sheep and the goats.  God's kingdom in this context looks like the hungry being fed, the thirsty being given something to drink, the strangers finding welcome, the naked clothed, the sick cared for and the prisoner visited.

When I think of this beatitude in the (relatively) modern era, I think of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  His work toward civil rights was a hunger and thirst for righteousness, was it not?

He saw this work as God's work.

His famous quote of "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice" is sometimes critiqued as naive in that it could be interpreted that we'll get there without any work on our part.  I would say that those who hold this view are taking the quote completely out of the context of Dr. King's life and work.  In fact, he constantly called upon human beings of a wide range of cultures and resources to get on board with the needed changes in our country.  

Rather, I think this quote is a faith statement.  It says that God has an ultimate design for us.  It says that God does not abandon us to do it on our own.  It says that God will walk with us on this long, long road.

It also acknowledges that we may not see it come to fruition in our lifetimes.  

But when God is working with us, the work is fulfilling even if at times frustrating.

As we move through Lent, which piece of God's kingdom, do you hunger and thirst for most?

Prayer for the day:  God, help us to stand firm in our convictions for compassion and justice for all of your children in the world today.  May we find that as we seek to share the love of Jesus tangibly, that it flows through us naturally because of our relationship with you.  And at the end of the day, may we realize that as we gaze at the world around us, we are very full indeed.  We pray this in Jesus' name.  Amen.

 

Photo by National Park Service via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons License.

New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 3

 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth."

                                                Matthew 5:5 (NRSVue) 

This is obviously another reversal by Jesus because the meek were usually ignored (at best) in the ancient world and I'm not sure this is much different today.

The NRSV doesn't change much from the King James Version besides using "will" instead of "shall".  I prefer the Common English Bible's use of "humble" rather than "meek" in that humble is more widely used today.

In the common vernacular, meek may imply doormat which would really be a reversal.  Of course, this could have been the image that Jesus was going for.  It is difficult for us to get a handle on.

Oh, the irony of this graffiti!

I'm reminded of the Sermon on the Mount scene in Monty Python's Life of Brian where those on the fringes can't hear very well.  They start arguing with one another and almost get into a fist fight which is the perfect juxtaposition to Jesus stating "blessed are the meek..."

Those arguing and fighting are not only missing the point but they are angry with one another and definitely not blessed.  This scene could be a referendum on American society as a whole today.

It seems that we reward aggressiveness today much more quickly than humility.  But I've discovered that those with true power and authority who aren't self-centered or insecure don't need to demean or step on others through life.  

I'm reminded of the story of Chuck Norris who was bullied into moving seats at a local dive.  He left without a word and when the bully realized that he was messing with a martial arts expert, he apologized to Chuck.  He asked Chuck why he didn't beat him up and Chuck responded with, "What would that prove?"

Maybe this beatitude shows me that I should think and take a breath before I get upset.  This morning on my drive to work, I was trying to let a car onto the highway and he was trying to let me go ahead of him.  We both kept going slower and slower.  Then we each became frustrated and made a face toward the other because we each wanted to be the polite one!

He sped away through traffic and I just laughed at the the ridiculousness of the situation!

This beatitude is going to take some more reflection...

Prayer for the day: Loving God, we give thanks that you provide for us.  Help us to trust in you and look inwardly before we turn up the heat with others.  Let us see more things as small or even insignificant rather than getting upset or offended.  And may we share this inheritance rather than hoard it.  In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

 

Photo by David Seibold via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 2

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

                                    Matthew 5:4 (NRSVue)

One of the things that is a constant for people is that things continue to change.  This might be why we look back on earlier periods of our life with nostalgia.  Compared to what we are dealing with today, we imagine that we had a better handle on who we were then - or at least what we had to face.

All change results in grief and loss - and of course, some changes are more significant than others.

As people get older, another constant is that we begin to outlive our relatives.  The older generations pass away and we attend their funerals and mourn their passing.  Younger generations may begin to look at us as if we're next!  

We're not sure what happened to Jesus' earthly father, Joseph.  It is likely that he died.  How would this have effected Jesus?  I'm sure that he was grateful to have him in his life for the time he did. 

Within my lifetime, I have lost my four grandparents and both of my parents.  I was only nine years old when my Grandpa Powers passed away.  He loved to fish and I can remember him scaling the fish out in the yard.  The neighbor's cat would hang around when he did this!  He had a good sense of humor and liked to find the joy in life.  

I mourned his passing but not like my father did.  It was a more significant loss for him and difficult to comprehend until he too died and I realized what it was to lose a dad.

I haven't felt very blessed when I've been struck with grief in my life.  But I have felt blessed to have loved the people in my life who have touched me significantly.  I think most people understand that the deeper the love for someone, the harder the grief hits us.  

But as we recognize our deep grief, maybe we can also recognize that the larger relationship was a blessing to us.  This can be a comfort and a peace.  And we realize that when we mourn, we have been blessed.

Maybe we should seek to recognize this in our relationships while the people are still living!

Prayer for the day: God, help us in our times of grief and mourning.  Comfort us with your peace and let it pass our understanding.  Guide us to celebrate this life with those we love and help us to love more widely even knowing that mourning may eventually result.  We pray these things in the name of Jesus who understands our loss.  Amen.

Photo by Jens Grabenstein via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 1 Ash Wednesday

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he began to speak and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

                       Matthew 5:1-3 (NRSVue)

Matthew records Jesus teaching this sermon on the mountain while Luke records it being preached on a level place.  Matthew wrote his gospel to a Christian community that was birthed out of Judaism.  The adherents to the faith would have been raised in the Jewish tradition and so Matthew uses a lot of soft comparisons of Jesus with Moses.  Just as Moses receives the 10 Commandments on a mountain, Jesus gives the beatitudes on one as well.

The first blessing shows that the poor in spirit inherit the kingdom of heaven.  

This child probably doesn't feel blessed.

I was always confused by this as a child in that it reminded me of a poor sport which I knew wasn't a good attribute.  The Common English Bible translates it as hopeless which is a little better than poor sport but it is still pretty negative.

How can someone without hope - poor in spirit - receive the kingdom of heaven?

This is one of the reversals of Jesus' teaching that is so common in his parables.  Normally, people in Jesus' day that had it all together were thought to have God's blessing.   I would say that even though we know better, a large majority people operate as if those who have it all together have been blessed by God.

The opposite conclusion of this thinking is that some people who are living in difficult circumstances are somehow cursed by God.  I think that the beatitudes are trying to reverse this philosophy.  

The hope we retain from this is that even in the midst of tragedy, God remains with us.  This reminds me of the Mark Miller (a good United Methodist) song, "I Believe" which states, "I believe in love even when I don't feel it."

How do we share with people that God is with them even when bad things are happening?

I believe that the Christian ethic is to step up and be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world today.  Because every human being has experienced doubt in the midst of pain, we can offer faith and light in the midst of darkness.

Prayer for the day: 

Gracious God, we believe that you love all the children of the world.  But we also realize that not all children feel love or even security.  As we encounter people in the world, remind us that each person is somebody's child.  And as we increase our faith, may we also recognize you are this "somebody."  May we be a witness to your love to someone today so that your blessing may be true.  Amen.

Photo by UnknownNet Photography via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Daily Devotions for Lent 2024

As we approach another season of Lent, I have decided to once again embrace the discipline of journaling my thoughts through this blog as reflections on scripture.  In the past, I have chosen a book of the Bible to read through but this year, I've decided to do a deeper dive into the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain.

This material is found in the Gospels, specifically, Matthew for the former and Luke for the latter.

The Sermon on the Mount is longer and covers chapters five through seven of Matthew's Gospel while the Sermon on the Plain is shorter, documented in Luke 6:20-49.

I will begin posting these devotions to the blog on Ash Wednesday and they will post in the early hours of the morning around 3 am in case there are any who rise early and wish to begin their day with the reading and devotion as their Lenten discipline.  And just to be clear, I do schedule these to post - I'm not up at this hour!

I will also post these to my Facebook and X social media accounts in case you prefer to comment and engage with a larger community.  Of course, you may also leave comments on this blog but that has never had the traction or responses of the social media platforms.

I will be utilizing the text from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition found on biblegateway.com but there are many translations available here and you may wish to look at more than one since the readings will be shorter.  

These will post for the 40 days of Lent (I won't post on the six Sundays of Lent) ending with a final post for Easter Sunday on March 31.  If you haven't decided on a Lenten discipline this year, I would invite you to read along with me through this important material.  It may be that you would also like to set a discipline of commenting with your own thoughts about where the material took you as well!

And of course, if you would like to share the blog on social media, this helps distribute it to a wider audience.

I pray that your Lenten season is contemplative and fruitful for your spiritual growth in Christ!

Photo by George Bannister via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

 

Going on to...Accountability?

When United Methodist clergy are ordained, the bishop will first ask them historic questions that were handed down from John Wesley.  The first being, "Have you faith in Christ?"  After the hopeful pastor-to-be answers in the affirmative, the second question is "Are you going on to perfection?"

If you want to be ordained as a United Methodist pastor, you better be prepared to answer yes!

Of course, the bishop usually explains what is meant by this question as "being a perfectionist" is not a positive psychological trait.  The third question may help define what we mean by perfection in that it asks, "Do you expect to be made perfect in love in this life?"

And the fourth question then inquires, "Are you earnestly striving after perfection in love?"

Perfection in love.  

This refers to being able to love others as we believe that Jesus loves them regardless of whether they return the expression or not.  This has to do with sanctification. 

Sanctifying grace is that grace every Christian should be working with in order to become more Christ-like in their lives.  This is the grace that walks alongside us as works-in-progress!  If the main commandments (according to Jesus) are to love God and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, sanctifying grace would be the acknowledgement that we must work with God's help to get there.

United Methodist clergy have acknowledged publicly that loving with the love of Jesus Christ is a goal they are pursuing.

So what is some practical help for achieving this?

Last month, fellow District Superintendent James Kim and I led some of the laity in our districts on leadership surrounding our Staff (or Pastor) Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) which is our denomination's volunteer personnel department for local churches.

At this point, pastors should have received their feedback from these committees regarding their assessment from their SPRC.   At this time of difficulty in the church, when we hear about increasing numbers of pastors thinking about leaving the ministry, it can be tempting to avoid any critique at all.

However, if done correctly, a church personnel committee can actually help their pastor go on to perfection in love.  

A good SPRC assessment will include a lot of positives on what the pastor has done to further the mission of the church.  Even when we have personality conflicts with a person, we should be able to find positive attributes about this person that we can acknowledge.  If we can't, we may need to work on our own Christ-like love!

But an assessment should also include some areas that need reflection or improvement.  When done in a loving environment, this should help the pastor grow in areas that will actually serve them in their careers as well as positively impact the mission of the church they serve.  

I believe that the best assessments from an SPRC will set goals with the pastor for the coming year.  As an SPRC by Discipline is supposed to meet quarterly, these goals can be reviewed throughout the year.  Of course, a church should also set goals through its committees and walk alongside the pastor to achieve all the goals together.

For the greatest help in evaluating progress, goals should follow the SMART acronym of being specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.  These should relate to the overall mission of the church and ideally, speak to specific pieces of that mission that need greater emphasis.

When the lay leadership of the church works with the pastor on healthy, positive assessment and checks in with this assessment quarterly, issues of both clergy and congregational health can be dealt with in a timely manner rather than waiting until they have become a crisis and "something must be said."

Are you earnestly striving after perfection in love?

The ordained clergy have answered yes to this.  If we're honest with ourselves, it will take some accountability such as partnering with the local church to get there!

 

The graphic was published from Ramon 3223 via Wikimedia Commons.