Daily Devotion for Lent 2021 - Day 23

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 12

"What's in it for me?"

We have a propensity toward individualism.   It is difficult to hold a body of people together.  The larger the body, the more difficulty we have.  The easier it is to get opposing ideas out there, the more likely it is to split off and do our own thing.

We saw this with the Protestant Reformation.  As the printing press came into existence, the ideas of Martin Luther were more easily spread.  The next few centuries saw countries become independent that were previously colonies of empire nations.

Today, we see this with the internet as ideas are spread even more quickly.  Ironically, it is also far easier to fact check these ideas but unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be as enticing.

Most kids don't like uniforms but
esteem is higher for those that wear them
while bullying is lower.

Paul uses the interworking of various body parts as a metaphor for the congregation.  In other words, we all need each other to function properly.

Of course, I want to value my contribution at a higher value than yours.  We want to make a difference and be seen as important.  This is natural as everyone likes to be appreciated.  But a group like the church is founded on the grace of God which seeks to value all people.

So what Paul asks us today is "Can you put the need to stand out on hold?"  Can you do it for the good of the body?

To be spiritually mature is to see the gifts of God at work in each person.  I really like verse 26 where Paul makes the aspirational statement: 

If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.

Hopefully, we don't tend to suffer or rejoice more enthusiastically depending on the member but realistically, this is sometimes the case.

But to remain together - tied by the Holy Spirit - may mean to give something of myself up so that we can accomplish more as the Body of Christ.  

What's in it for me?  

The lifting up of my neighbor.  And that is enough.

Prayer for the day:

Loving God, it is hard to admit to ourselves and even harder to admit to others that we have a need for appreciation.  But you know us.  You see us at our strongest moments but also at our weakest.  We are thankful that you love us even as we may fluctuate wildly between the two!  Help us to grow in the Spirit not only so that we have more gifts to share with our community of faith, but also so that we will share them without the need for accolades.  In this, may our see ourselves as part of your larger mission in the world today.  We pray these things in Christ's holy name.  Amen.

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

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Daily Devotion for Lent 2021 - Day 8

Scripture Reading: Galatians 3 (NRSV)

One of the things I've been involved with on and off during my career as a pastor has been ecumenical work. I've served on the Ecumenical Relations Committee of the World Methodist Council which seeks to strengthen the ties between Wesleyan denominations and other Christian bodies.  

In ecumenical work, you must find the similarities - what are the things on which we agree?

If we go quickly to the things in which we disagree, we will likely weaken the ties that bind!

As we look at today's reading, Christianity at this point in history would still be a Jewish sect.  It has not broken off into something distinct in the faith but we see the beginnings of this break in today's chapter.

Paul is not asking Gentiles to become Jewish in order to follow Christ.  He is saying that both Gentile practices and even the Jewish Law are subservient to Christ.  It is a new way of defining oneself.

As we see Paul continue to prioritize Christ over the Law, it is hard for us to understand just how radical it was for the first century Mediterranean world.  It was changing our worldview.

Verse 28 may be one of the most important verses in the Bible and we still struggle with it today:

There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

This is not to be used to diminish those things that make us unique.  We can still celebrate all of our diversity.  But what it does is establishes our common ground with all of the diversity in the world.  Paul is prioritizing Christ over every category that we could come up with.

For ecumenical work, we start with Christ.  We end with Christ.  We recognize that we are both "in Christ."

Sometimes we find common affection
for those very different from ourselves.

How can we apply this to conflicts in today's world?  While Christianity is not universally adopted, there are Christians involved in most conflicts within the United States.  There are Christians within both major political parties in our country today.  There are Christians within the various factions involved in the debates over race in the United States.  There are Christians within the push and pull over gender issues and how we deal with human sexuality.  

So as we live out our lives in this complex world, we have to ask ourselves, "What does it mean that I am baptized in Christ?"  What is this common understanding of how I relate to God with others.  We often will imagine that "when we all get to heaven" we will discover a harmony with one another.

What Paul seems to be asking is that when we are baptized, shouldn't we be cutting to the chase?

Prayer for the Day:

Blessed God, we value so much our individualism.  Sometimes we may hold it up to such a great value that we lessen who we are in Christ.  We value personal faith in Jesus Christ that comes to us and reaches out to us.  But we may forget that Christ is moving toward us all.   Let us think more deeply about what it means to be "in Christ."  We pray these things in the name of the One who Opens the Hand to us.  Amen.

Photo by Katriona McCarthy via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.