In Matthew's Steps: Ordinary Made Extraordinary

The First Steps: Read Matthew 4

Focus Verse: “They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.” Matthew 4:18-20

Meditation: Ordinary Made Extraordinary

“Why did you become a pastor? What made you decide to go into the ministry?”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked this question. By young Confirmation students and older people, by church people and secular people. There is a unique curiosity around the calling to ministry.

My answer has always been the same. I was called. Pure and simple. My first recollection of this was in Confirmation when an old, retired pastor told me I’d make a great pastor someday. I later learned that this wasn’t the first time I had expressed interest in the ministry. I was four years old when I declared to my mother that I’d like to be a priest someday. (That didn’t sit well with her, if you know what I mean...).

Still everyone wants to know the time...the moment...the event that shaped your life and changed its very direction. I’m sure it happens in a flash for some people...but for me...it’s more complicated than that. For me pastoral ministry is a right expression of the gifts God has given me and the way that I have chosen to use those gifts. There was a calling, for sure, but not an audible one. As I’ve grown older too I’ve learned the skills I bring are suited for ministry...and little else. I wouldn’t make a good doctor, lawyer, or any number of other professionals. My passion lies here in the pastoral ministry of God’s people.

Pastoral ministry may be right for me...but might not be for you. And that’s okay. For too long we’ve been told by the church that the only “holy” professions are those who work for and with the church. Everyone else is below them in rank. That is NOT true in the slightest! In fact, Christ calls each of us to a profession, a vocation, and sanctifies that profession and makes it holy. Christ helps us see what we’re doing in a new and different light.

That’s what he does for Andrew and Peter, for James and John. These fisher boys never had a clue what Jesus was calling them to. “Come and follow me,” Jesus says. “I will make you fish for men!” What power there is in that voice. It is a call to holiness in the workplace, a call to a new vocation, one that takes their skills seriously and understands that every profession is a profession given by God. Every job is a job of the Kingdom. Everything we do every day can reflect Christ within us.

Jesus calls them with these words and immediately they leave their nets. Immediately they follow Jesus as he goes “...throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” (Matt. 4:23). Immediately they are taken into a whole new way of seeing and living and becoming!

The same thing can happen for us too! Except that we don’t need to leave our jobs and our families and our homes. We can follow Christ right there and now. We needn’t go traveling about the country. God has planted us here for a reason. We can, though, witness and reach out, being fishers of men and women right here in our own communities. We can be disciples of Jesus Christ in whatever we do using the gifts and grace that the Holy Spirit has lent us. We can do it!

And we are doing it! Right now in Greeley, Colorado a surgeon lives who prays before every surgery...with the family most times. It all started one day as he was going to check in on a patient and he overheard the hospital chaplain praying with one of the patients. Usually he kept his distance for such things, but this time he listened in. The chaplain prayed for the doctors and nurses, for their work of their hands as they healed this patient. That prayer struck him. Slowly he emerged from the other side of the curtain and today this doctor is one who will actively pray with his patients and the chaplain before surgery. God’s Spirit is at work in his hands and in his heart as he heals the sick in Jesus name.

I know of another man whose passion was driving truck! He was good at it and loved his work. His only concern was how does he drive truck and do God’s work. Easy, he thought. Many truck stops have little chapels in them. In his off-time, on Sunday mornings, he’d take to going to such chapels. Sometimes to talk and preach. Other times just to be present and worship. And his passion has changed lives. More than we realize.

What would that look like if we all did the same? What does a Christian truck driver look like? Or a Christian rancher and farmer? How about a Christian software engineer? How would he do his jo? What does a Christian waitress, CNA, hotel worker, gas attendant, mechanic, bank teller, teacher, counselor, principal, politician or any other kind of professional look like? How do Christians work differently at their jobs than non-Christians do?

I believe that God calls us into our passions. If we have a passion for something, God gives us strength to continue and work into that passion. Where is Christ Jesus calling you? And what will be your response to his voice? Amen!

Questions to Answer
1) Think of a time you’ve been drawn to do or say something. Describe the passion, energy, and purpose you had in completing your task.

2) Add Christ to your job. What would that look like? Where is he calling you to do? Where is he calling you from?

3) Is God calling you away from your expectations? Have you put off doing something you’re being called to simply because it is too hard?

A Prayer to Pray
Christ Jesus, as you called your disciples on the lake to enter deeper into the ministry of fishing, so we too hear you calling us into service to you wherever we are. Open our eyes by your Spirit that we may see the ways we may be Christ to our neighbor in whatever we do. In your most Holy Name we Pray. Amen.

In Matthew's Steps: A God for the godless

The First Step: Read Matthew 3
Focus Verse: “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadduccees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” (3:7-8)

The Meditation: A God for the godless

I once asked a friend of mine who worked at a coffee shop what was the worst day he had to work.

“Sundays...” he said in a huff.

“Sundays, really?” I asked. “Is it because you can’t get to church and worship yourself?”

“Oh no,” he said. “I’ve just found the rudest people always come into the shop on Sundays.”

“Before church?” I asked. “Or during?”

“Neither,” he said. “After. After church, people come dressed up all nice like they’ve been to church and come in and treat me terribly. They’re rude and obnoxious and insist on getting their own way. No, of all the days I work, Sundays are the worst.”

I don’t know what to think of this. On the one hand, I want to say, “Of course church people act that way. We’re a hospital for sinners, not a country club for saints. There’s no perfect people within our walls. Only imperfect people struggling with their imperfections.”

On the other hand I know that religious people should know better. We should know how to behave and how to act. We should know that our every action reflects upon Christ. What we say and how we say it attracts or repels people from Christ. We should know that.

And we should know better too. Scripture is full of direction on how to act toward our fellow human beings. Paul says: “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” (Philippians 4:5). Yet how often are Christians known for their judgement...not their gentleness. By James we are told, “...faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”(James 2:17) And yet, right out of church, we pass by those in need, whispering excuses to ourselves, blaming them for their own misfortune. We know we shouldn’t put anything above our worship. After all, Jesus himself says: “You cannot be a slave of two masters...”... but how often do we “miss” church because we think ‘there’s nothing in it for me.’ Or ‘my kids have gone through Sunday School. I don’t need to be there anymore...’ How often have we said we are sinful and need repentance in church but done the very thing we repented of outside the church doors?

Maybe that’s what John the Baptist was thinking too as he watched the religious people of his day come down to the river to be baptized. Maybe that’s why he reserved his harshest words in Matthew for the Sadducees and Pharisees. Those super-religious people coming down for baptism. Maybe that’s why he said what he did...

“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fuit in keeping with repentance. And do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” (vs. 7-10)

John is blunt to say the least...and harsh and judgmental! And to the religious people at that! Bear fruit worthy of repentance. What is John talking about? I don’t need repentance! I don’t need change. What is he implying? That I’m flawed? How dare he! How dare John talk to us, good righteous people like that. How dare he suggest that we’re not living out what we preach and teach and believe! Doesn’t he know who we are? Doesn’t he realize who we are and who we’re related to? Our great-great-grandfather founded this church! Our father helped build the new addition we’re sitting in! We ourselves have served on council ten years running. Who does John think he is?

If John’s words get under our skin, maybe that’s our cue to listen. We too have gone “down to the river” for repentance, only to return and live our lives in exactly the same way as before. We have stood up for confession and forgiveness at church, only to go home and gossip about our neighbor that very night. We’ve gone down to the altar to give our lives to Christ only to return and beat our spouses and children up with our words and deeds.

We are the religious that John is ranting about.

And the criticism will not stop with John. Over and over again, Jesus will take up this theme in Matthew, commenting and interpreting the Torah, encouraging new ways to participate religiously. Jesus will criticize fasting and prayer, giving to the needy and the oaths we make. He will alter the meanings of laws. He will set the bar at an incredible height. He will demand perfection. “Be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect...”

Jesus will, in effect, blow the religious world apart. Those who think they’re secure in their own righteousness will find the rug pulled up on them. Those who are confident that they have the answers, will find themselves sadly mistaken. Jesus will take up repentance and demand that everything is laid at God’s feet. Everything!

This Christmas, amid all the many things we’ve determined to give God, may the Holy Spirit help us give our hearts to God. May He open our eyes to the avenues of repentance he is calling us to. And may He enable us to make meaningful changes to our lives, becoming fruitful trees of righteousness for the world to taste and see Christ. Amen.

Questions to ponder...
1) Think of your experience with religious people. Were those experiences good or bad? What stuck out in your mind about your experiences?

2) Would you consider yourself a religious person? Why or why not? How do you take John’s words if you are? Do they apply to you?

3) If you were approached this way, would you change your life? What brings people to truly change how they live?

A Prayer to Pray...
Almighty God, your servant and prophet, John the Baptist, crying out on the banks of the River Jordan still calls us to repentance and change to preparing for your coming. Inspire and enable true repentance in us, that what we say and do might reflect the love of Christ within us, in whose name we live and die and pray, Amen.

In Matthew's Steps: Born into danger

The First Steps:Read Matthew 2

Focus Verse: “[Herod] sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and make careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.’” Matthew 2:10

Meditation: Born into danger!

Like it or not... we live in a dangerous world. Every day the media bombards with reminders of that danger. Families brutally assaulted and shot in their own homes. Children carrying guns (and using them!) at school. Mothers drowning their own children! Genocide in Africa. Suicide bombers in Afghanistan.

Just last week I heard of a terrible crime! In the middle of this season of giving, where happiness and the best of the human spirit are celebrated, a couple women were robbed right after they had stashed their Christmas presents in their car and went to another store! Coming out of their cars they discovered that everything they had bought at the previous store was gone from the trunk of their car!

We live in a dangerous world. And our children, like it or not, are born into that world! For most of the world, a child’s very survival is in jeopardy until they reach the age of 2. Diseases rip many infants away from their families before they can reach that age. Those that do make it face violence at every turn throughout their lives. From the wars raging on within our own bodies to the wars outside of us! No wonder we long for peace on earth this time of year.

The Gospel of Matthew throws Jesus into the middle of this mess. Unlike Luke who announces Jesus’ birth with pretty angels in the sky and meek shepherds keeping watch in their field, the Gospel of Matthew has none of that! All we have of Jesus actual birth in this gospel is at the end of the previous chapter. “...she gave birth to a son. And [Joseph] gave him the name Jesus.” (Vs. 25). That’s it! That’s all the birth. It’s as if Matthew is saying: “Yes, Christ is born...but more importantly he’s born into a world of violence!”

Matthew starts chapter two by telling us when this Jesus is born. “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod...” (vs. 1) The very mention of Herod, king of Judea, should invoke fear. Herod is, as history tells us, a violent man. Herod rose to power in the Roman empire through his own cunning and he himself was killed by his own son shortly after meeting the Magi. Herod is scary! For now, though, Herod is consumed with fear. Fear of losing his power his own lust for power and craves to keep his throne and position. That is why, when approached by foreign Magi from the east, Herod pretends to go along with them, asking for the location of the child so he may go and worship. Talk about political intrigue at its very best! This has the makings of a good Tom Clancy novel!

Only the foreign Magi do not agree. In a dramatic turn of events, after visiting the child, the Magi go home a different way, leaving Herod angry. But does the story stop there? Not at all! Instead, we are told Joseph whisks Mary and baby Jesus away while Herod, “realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi...gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time learned from the Magi.” (vs. 16).

Christ is born into a world of violence! Infanticide! Deceit! Political unrest! A world of escaping refugees! Of political criminals. Of seekers and liars! Christ is born a wanderer. A nomad. Born into a world of power and corruption. Where the people, even the religious ones, haven’t a clue what is happening under their very nose.

It’s all there. Right from the beginning of Christ’s life in Matthew. Christ is born into a world of violence.

And that violence is with us today. Nothing has changed. I'm always amazed when people say how much people have evolved. We haven't evolved! Watch television sometime! We live in the same world as Herod and Joseph did. In our world, families are torn apart by politics and politicians and rent asunder by conflicts from within. We live in a world where children are killed by hunger and greed and in anger. A world where the most dangerous people we know are the people in our own families! Where men and women kill themselves for their faith. It’s a world of bullying and hatred, where a few words sent over an electronic media can end of the life of another person. And a world where we really don’t care as we sit all apart, with illusions of our self-sufficiency in our big warm homes.

That's the world today. And it was the world then. And that is the world Christ comes to. That is the world that needs saving.

Let’s not forget that this season of Christmas, as we hear our beloved carols call us around the fire with family and friends. As we participate in the celebration of the season by the giving and receiving of gifts. As we extend ourselves out to the needy and the poor, the broken and the abandoned. Let us not forget the world that still needs Christ. Still needs that little baby born in a manger, born into danger, to save it. And may we remember that Christ has come, not to ignore the problem or dismiss it, but to transform it through his own death and resurrection. That in his death on the cross, all the world may die with him. And in his rising from the grave, the whole world might rise to new life again. Amen.

Questions to ponder...
1) Take a look at today’s headlines. What jumps out at you? How would you characterize the world today?

2) Why do you think its important for Matthew that we are told the true state of the world when Christ was born? Why is this significant do you think?

3) What areas of your life need saving for you? Where do you find Christ coming to redeem you?

A Prayer to Pray...
Lord Jesus, we live in a dangerous world full of robberies and violence, where men commit terrible crimes against one another. And yet you loved us enough to enter in, to face the danger, the grief, the turmoil, the hatred, and the shame and to die with it and for it. Help us turn to face the dangerous world around us with your presence in our lives and your love in our hearts. Amen.

In Matthew's Steps: In the Name

Welcome to a new series! For the next 28 weeks, we'll be watching Jesus through the eyes of Matthew. Each week we'll take one chapter of Matthew and explore one element of it. We won't cover it all, but we will get a glimpse of Jesus through this apostle's eyes. So... without further ado...

On Matthew’s Path: In the Name...

Preparing to Walk: Read: Matthew 1

Focus verse: “...and you will give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

The Meditation
How do you choose a name? How do you find a name that is right for your children? Or even for your dog? How do you know what to call something when it's up to you to figure it out?

Choosing names for our children was an adventure. For the most part, their names are family names. Our oldest boy, William, is named after his two grandfathers. William being my father and Douglas being my wife’s father. Lynne, my daughter and the youngest of the family, found her name in much the same way. Lynne is my wife’s middle name. Estelle, hyphenated into her first name, is her mother’s middle name and Shirley, her middle name, is my wife’s mother’s first name.

Only our middle son, Matthew, found a name that was outside of our family. Matthew’s name just came to us. While his middle name, Albert, was my grandfather’s name, Matthew really doesn’t appear anywhere in our family line. We had chosen a few names to consider, Matthew being one of them, but when my wife saw our son lying in her arms, she knew he was a Matthew. Somehow it all just made sense.

I wonder if Joseph had the same experience when he went to name Jesus. For starters, he didn’t really want Jesus to begin with. He was a righteous man, though, and “...did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.”(vs. 19) In those times, names were given by the fathers and they meant something. To name a child was to claim it as your own. And the names themselves were important too. They weren’t just words or sounds by which you were known, they spoke of your character. They were often derived from family names, much like how we named our children, but often not. In every case, the name actually meant something. It defined who you are and who you would become. Or it spoke of the circumstances of your birth.

Thus the name, Jacob, for example, given to the original patriarch means “one who grasps the heel” or “deceiver.” Jacob is the man who deceives his father and steals his brother’s birth right. “Issac”, his father, means literally “I laughed” and harkens back to the time when Sarah, his mother, laughed when she was told she would give birth at her old age. Judah was named “Thank God” because, as it says in Genesis 29:35, his mother said: “This time I will praise the Lord.” Each name meant something. Each name was unique.

So what does “Jesus” mean and why is it so significant? Jesus is the greek form of the name “Joshua” which literally means “The Lord saves.” Joshua calls us back to stories in the Old Testament, where by the Lord’s help, a young man by the same name tore down the walls of Jericho and led the people of Israel in countless victories against their oppressors. “The Lord Saves” reshaped the Holy Land and helped establish Israel there after the Exodus from Egypt.

Calling this little baby “The Lord Saves” or Jesus in greek, brands him for great things. For victories against God’s oppressors. For salvation for God’s chosen people, Israel. For a life lived in safety, where “swords will be ground into plowshares.” For a time when the Messiah will reign!

Only...that’s not what God has in mind. Not at all. This baby wasn’t destined to rule the earth. The baby was destined to die...and rise again! I wonder sometimes how closely Joseph listened to the angel’s message. The angel says: “[Mary] will give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” It’s this last part that I wonder if he got...if any of them got!

Jesus wasn’t going to be just another king in the long line of kings before him. He wasn’t going to be like David and clear out Jerusalem of their enemies. He wasn’t going to be like Solomon and establish relations with other countries and providences. He wasn’t going to follow in Hezekiah or Ahaz’s footprints. He wasn’t even going to do what Josiah did and re-establish the law. All of these were forefathers of Jesus, but Jesus was going to do something completely different! Instead, Jesus was born to defeat the trues enemies of God’s people: sin and death! He’ll put an end to sin by his death and an end to death by his resurrection. He will be “The Lord Saves” as the Lord truly means it. He will not be taken by the world’s power. He won’t just be another failed king. Instead, he give them what they truly need. Freedom from sin, death, and the devil, and a whole new life. That’s what they need. And that’s what they’ll get!

I wonder if Joseph ever realized this. I wonder if after his conversation with the angel he went back to Mary, put his hand on her stomach, and realized the baby growing within her. What that baby would do. Who that baby would be. Legend tells us Joseph never lived to see that baby grow up to be the man named Jesus. But I know that, while they were alive together, Joseph molded and shaped his son, helping him see what his name truly meant, and helping prepare Jesus for the life he would lead to save us all. For Joseph’s naming Jesus is just one step in the long journey God took to bring salvation to us all. Amen.

Questions to Ponder...
1) Jesus has a long line of questionable characters in his past.
Judah... (Genesis 29:31-35)
Tamar... Genesis 38
Rahab... (Joshua 5:13-6:27)
Ruth... (Book of Ruth)
Bathsheba... (2 Samuel 11)
Who are the questionable characters in your own past? How have their lives influenced yours?

2) What does your name mean? Why is the meaning of your name significant? Is it?

3) What other ways could “The Lord Saves” have been interpreted? Is the way Jesus lives out his identity strange? Or not?

A Prayer to Pray...
Lord Jesus, you lived out your name in everything you did. The Lord Saves acted out salvation for us all. Help us live out our vocations, our callings, in the same way that we might be the people you have made us, living for your sake. Amen.

Pondering the Proverbs: Advice Gone Wrong

Proverb of the Week: A Word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Prov. 25:11

Meditation: Advice gone wrong!
Has anyone ever given you advice that just didn’t work? You presented a situation to someone, they offered their mindful advice, and, when you turned around and tried it, it just didn’t work right. Has that ever happened to you? Or has advice taken from someone actually benefitted you? Have you listened to the sayings of the wise and been blessed because of it?

The book of Proverbs is, for all intent and purposes, one giant book of advice. And it doesn’t pretend otherwise. At the beginning of the book we are told these are “The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, King of Israel.”(Prov. 1:1) In the middle of the book the tone shifts and we are given proverbs from the Wise... literally it says before 22:17: “Sayings of the Wise”. We are given other proverbs later from a teacher named Ager. And King Lemuel offers a chapter of advice passed down from his mother in chapter 31.

The book of Proverbs is a collection of advice from kings and teachers and wise men of ancient Israel. But it’s only that as well. Advice. Advice and proverbs must be interpreted for each situation. Those that fit may be considered. Those that don’t...must be discarded or reinterpreted for our modern life. Reading and studying the book of Proverbs is an exercise in interpretation.

Needless to say interpretation has its own battles. The book of Proverbs has become a battlefield for ethics, especially in terms of child discipline. There are many who would argue for the effectiveness of spanking, for instance, and would site this proverb:

“Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die.
Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.”

Others would disagree with them, of course, arguing that these passages do not speak to 21st Century parents but ancient parents instead. With all the work done in psychological discipline, reward and punishment, there are better ways to discipline a child than to beat them with a rod, whatever the rod looks like, they would argue.

Without getting into a debate over child discipline, this provides a perfect example of interpreted proverbial advice. While one side will claim faithfulness to the text in Proverbs, another will agree with the discipline but may disagree with the methods. Same proverb. Different interpretations. Who’s right? Both. Depending on their interpretation, they will both argue that they are right. And there is no way to prove biblically that one is right and the other is wrong. It's all up to interpretation.

There are other examples for sure. Proverbs chapter 26 offers challenging conflicting proverbs one verse away from each other.

Proverbs 26:4 reads: “Do not answer a fool according to his folly or you will be like him yourself.”

And the very next verse, Proverbs 26:5, says: “Answer a fool according to his folly or he will be wise in his own eyes.”

What should we do? The first? Or the second? Do we answer a fool or not answer a fool? If you were to direct your life based on both of these proverbs, you’d be confused to say the least. If you were coming to Proverbs looking for instruction, this offers no clear direction. What should we do? Answer them or not? It’s all up to interpretation!

And likewise for all of Proverbs. For the book is a book of advice from the wisest who have ever lived. But it’s just that...advice. Strong advice...sure! But advice nevertheless. And as advice goes, it is up for interpretation and alteration and dialogue. It should be discussed in the great assemblies and in your homes as you sit down. It should come up in conversations over what is the best life to live and how do we live a life pleasing to God. And it should be read along side Jesus own words. Jesus, who interprets Proverbs and the words of the wise over and over again, who calls us to live a new life. Who summons us to a brand new kingdom-life. And who has given us Himself as wisdom and strength and life.

The book of Proverbs can definitely help you on your journey to wisdom’s door...but don’t forget that Wisdom has come out and tented among us. And we have beheld His glory, the Glory of the Father’s Only Son, full of grace and truth! Amen!


Questions to Ponder...1) What Proverbs jump out at you as proverbs worthy of your following? What Proverbs do you interpret and avoid?

2) How do you determine what to take and follow and what to leave and discard from Scripture? What is your measure?

3) Read: Romans 12:17-21 & Proverbs 25:21-22. How has Paul interpreted Proverbs? Does he add anything to these words? Does he subtract anything?

A Prayer to Pray...
Almighty God, we give you thanks for your wise teachers whose wisdom we have written in the book of Proverbs. May their Proverbs live in our lives. May we seek wisdom above all else. And may the guiding light of your Holy Spirit lead us to where wisdom lay, hidden in your son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Pondering the Proverbs: Remembering the Poor

Proverb of the Week:
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. (30:8-9)


Speak up and Remember...the Poor
They come to us in singles and pairs, holding signs or pushing carts. They come without showering, hungry, jobless, hopeless, and abandoned. They come in their campers, with a few belongings scattered about them. With lawn chairs to sit in and a few cans of beans to open. They come confused at times, not sure what to do or where to turn. They come willing to work, but with no one willing to risk their labor. They come wanting.

They are the poor.

In this recession, the town of Columbus and likewise the city of Billings has seen its own influx of poor. On many a corner and many a street, they sit, holding their small cardboard signs. They camp out by the river in their campers, anxious for even a minimum wage job to establish themselves again. They come without rich relatives and friends to take them in, without even shoes to cover their feet. Anxious for even a warm place to stay for the night.

They are the poor.

Today it's become harder to ignore their presence. We use to be able to look away or turn our head. We use to be able to avoid them. But today we cannot. Today they stand in our way on the streets, as we drive into our stores, and do our business. Today we mustn’t ignore them anymore...but address their presence here and now. And the question is: How?

The book of Proverbs has quite a bit to say about the state of the poor and our response to them. In more than one place, Proverbs councils us to remember the poor, to reach out to the needy, and to address their concerns.

He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses. (28:27)
Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the Lord will take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them. (22:22-23)
If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered. (21:13)

Do you notice something about these proverbs? They’re really just the Golden Rule! Only they apply to us...and how we treat a specific group of people...the poor. How we treat them...is how we in turn are treated. The “do to others as you would have them do to you” Golden Rule applies especially to those in poverty. How we respond to their needs is how others, and God, will respond to ours.

So... how do we treat them? Not good...I’d say if conversations with fellow Christians is any indication. For there are many faithful believers in Christ, us included perhaps, who would rather avoid the poor than address them. They excuse their behavior by saying they all have a mental illness or they complain about their laziness. “If only they’d get off the streets and find a job...”they say. “Why don’t they work for a living!” They wonder aloud why their own relatives don’t take care of them more. They’ll moan, and groan, and complain and do nothing for the poor on their way to their next warm vacation spot.

This is not good! Not good at all!

We might try to excuse our behavior. After all, today there are just so many poor people around us. On every street corner they sit with their little signs. You help one, and two or three others take their place. It seems hopeless at times! There’s no easy answers. In our town, we are bombarded with transients. People who, for one reason or another, travel the freeway from Seattle to Minneapolis and back. And they always stop here! Sometimes we get repeat customers. Most times they’re just here one day. They’ll always promise something, always be a part of your church, and always be extremely grateful when you offer whatever help you can. But they’ll always be back. And they’ll always be more.

Still, though the poor have always been with us, and will always be with us, the poor are very important in our relationship with God! In fact, Christ tells us how we treat the poorest people among us is how we’ve treated HIM! If we’ve called them mentally ill...we’ve called Christ that too! If we’ve refused to help them...we’ve refused to help Christ! And though the task itself is too large for one person, for one family, to overcome, still we are called to wrestle with it.

The Bible holds the poor in high regard. And though we may not physically be able to help every single poor person that passes our way(though we are commanded to by Jesus who tells us: “Give to everyone who asks you.”(Luke 6:30), we can do something. We can speak out for them. We can defend them against their oppressors. We can step off of the sidelines and address the situation face to face! We can stand up to them against politicians and even fellow Christians who would demean and degrade them. We can call each other on our ignorance and demand more respect for the least respected in our world.

And we can do that anywhere! When we’re lounging on the beach, we can remember the poor in Columbus, Montana. When we’re vacationing at Disneyland or Sea World or wherever our fancies take us, we can say a prayer remembering the poor as we enjoy what they cannot. When we give our gifts to God we can remember the poor, for God is on their side and when justice comes, it will come favoring them. We can work to better their lives. We can elect politicians who remember them. We can think about what their needs are in the community. We can do something. Even a small something. Which is more than just doing nothing. We can stand up with the poor and find our blessing from God there. “Blessed are the poor...” Jesus says. “...for theirs is the kingdom of God.” May we find our blessing with the least, the little, and the lost. For Jesus sake! Amen.

Questions to Answer
1) Think about the state of the poor in your community. Has their situation improved since the recession? Or worsened?

2) Give an example of how you have remembered the poor? And an example of how you have forgotten and overlooked them.

3) God doesn’t ask us to solve the problems of the world. Only to join him in his struggle. What tangible steps can you take in addressing the state of the poor in your community?

A Prayer To Pray
Heavenly Father, your heart goes out to the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the stranger. May our heart follow yours. Help us to reach out to those less fortunate than ourselves. Forgive us for our selfishness and stubborn pride. May we see your presence in the least of them, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Pondering the Proverbs: The Happy Medium

Proverbs of the Week: Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and stead and so dishonor the name of my God.
Proverbs 30:7-9

Meditation: The Happy Medium
"Dear God, you made many, many poor people.
I realize, of course, that it's no shame to be poor.
But it's no great honor either!
So, what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?"
Lyrics from “If I Were a Rich Man” from Fiddler on the Roof

Winning the lottery might be the dream of millions. But it can often lead to a nightmare!

Take Jack Wittaker for example. On Christmas morning, 2002, Jack discovered he had won the Powerball lottery jackpot, 315 million dollars, the largest individual payout in US lottery history. Though he intended to do good with his winnings, his world fell apart with the death of his granddaughter, Brandi, from a drug overdose which was funded by her allowance from Jack and the breakup of his marriage. While he did give money to churches and people in need, he was soon bombarded with lawsuits and thievery and greed. He turned to drinking as he watched what he called the "powerball curse" destroy his life.

This is just one of the many lottery horror stories you can read here if you like.

What is it about winning big that drives strife into our lives? Why is it that when you can buy whatever you want, your life falls to pieces? What is it about success and wealth that is so...dangerous??

Lottery winners aren’t the only ones at risk when it comes to wealth. The same holds true for all the wealthy the world round. People who do not have to worry about where their next meal comes from, who has no sense of want or need, are more likely to forget from whom their meal comes from. They don’t “need” God to sustain them day to day, and so they forget about God. “Who is the Lord” they say. “I don’t need him...right now at least!” They start to look down on those who have nothing and make excuses for their behavior with them. “I just work harder than they do...” they say.

We all dream and pray at one time or another for wealth. We all find ourselves at one time or another like Tavia in Fiddler on the Roof, praying: “Lord who made the lion and the lamb, You decreed I should be what I am. Would it spoil some vast eternal plan? If I were a wealthy man?”

Still, statistically speaking being rich and famous doesn’t increase your overall happiness. In fact, it decreases it! Big time in most cases. People who are wealthy are more likely to get a divorce, suffer from depression, take drugs, and do all other sorts of things. They are less likely to find themselves in a church and more likely to find their own sort of “religion.” Not everyone, surely, but many. And that applies even to people who work hard for their wealth! They too can find themselves trapped by it. Doctors, celebrities, people in power. Anyone with money to burn. They are all at risk. For there is always a sacrifice made for what we earn.

That is why the teacher, Agur, in the book of Proverbs councils moderatcy. He says: “If I had just two things to ask God for... I’d ask him to keep lies and deceit far from me...and give me neither poverty nor riches.” This seems so contra-intuitive to us. After all, how often have we bought a lottery ticket and prayed to God that we won? More times than we care to admit, I imagine.

And Agur isn’t praying for poverty either. He’s not asking to be poor. He doesn’t want to give everything away and live out on the streets in a box. Instead, he’s praying for a middle ground. To be in a place between poverty and riches, where we remember the Lord...AND we have enough that we do not steal. Agur wishes to live between the rich and the poor, where what he receives is both appreciated and recognized as daily bread.

We too can adopt this attitude toward what we have. By seeing what we have and earn as gifts from God, we can resist the temptation to forget about the Lord in the midst of our abundance. By giving what we don’t need away to others, we move ourselves more in the middle, between those who have much and those who have little. By the Holy Spirit working within even in our checkbooks, we can resist the urge to hoarde and embrace the life God is calling us to. We can be moderate!

There are a group of billionaires who have done just that. They have pledged to give away half of their net worth...or more! Bill Gates and others have promised to give away to others the wealth that accumulates in their barns! To move themselves into the middle and to realize and recognize that everything that they have is a gift of God!

Wealth and riches came to another Teacher’s mind. Quoleth, the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes, who wrote this about the love of riches:
“Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income...As goods increase so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them.” Ecclesiastes 5:10-11

We are placed on this earth for a higher purpose. We are not here to accumulate wealth. We are not here to be rich. We do not live to shun or look down upon others who have nothing. Instead, we are called to be children of God, to be witnesses of his redemption in Jesus Christ, and to call people to a new way of living, a new kingdom-life, where riches are measured by the love of the heart. May we live today in this new world that God is making before our eyes! Amen!

Questions to ponder...
1) Do you consider yourself rich or poor? What is the dividing line?

2) What if the rich are those who are never in need and the poor are those who are always in need? Where would your life be at then?

3) What are the dangers of both poverty and riches? Why do we resist one and strain toward the other?

A Prayer to Pray...
Good and gracious God, you have given us all we’ll ever need. Our daily bread is at our tables and we feast richly at what you have prepared. Help us, by your Holy Spirit, that we may take what is ours and share it with others, that all may find themselves in between riches and poverty, for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Pondering the Proverbs: Fear or FEAR?!

Proverb of the Week: Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and shun evil. Prov. 3:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

The Meditation: Fear...or FEAR?
The English language is said to be one of the hardest languages to learn.

For starters, english has many meanings and uses of the same word. Cool, for instance, can mean good and it can mean something is cold to the touch. Aweful originally meant to be full of awe, but it now means something is terrible. The dictionary is full of these kind of words.

Love is another word like that. We can love our cars, our cats, our homes, our wives, our children, our parents, our siblings. And each different object invokes a different meaning to the word love. We don’t love our cars and cats like we love our spouses and children.(At least I hope not.). And even among people the meaning of love is different. My little girl means something different when she coos : “I love you daddy...” than my wife does when she says it. Same word. Different meanings.

Today we have such a word for you. That word is: Fear! Fear, on the day after Halloween, brings to mind ghosts and ghouls and other things that go bump in the night. It reminds us of being afraid, cowering and trembling in the corner. Hoping that the feared one doesn’t bite.

But there is another meaning to fear. One that is used frequently in the Bible. One that doesn’t make us tremble in fright but invites us to step forward, boldly and confidently. Fear as reverence and awe.

It’s hard to see this definition given our usual use of this word, but imagine for a moment if your favorite actor or actress was to walk through your front door. You wouldn’t cower away afraid and terrified, but you would treat him or her with fear. That is you would respect and honor them.

Fear is another word for respect. To fear is to respect. Our parents are feared and loved. They aren’t people we are afraid of(at least I hope they aren’t) but they are respected for who they are in our lives. No matter who you are, parents invoke a certain fear or respect that comes with their role in our lives.

We are called to have the same attitude toward God. The book of Proverbs calls us to fear God over and over again. To respect God, to honor God, and to hold Him in awe and reverence. To treat him like a celebrity and to give him the honor that we give our parents. That is the attitude we are called to take. That is the attitude a wise man takes. And the book of Proverbs is full of these references!

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but fools despise wisdom and understanding. (Prov. 1:7)
The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. (Prov. 10:27)
Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly, but those who despise him are devious in their ways. (Prov. 14:2)
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death. (Prov. 14:27)
Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord and humility comes before honor.(Prov. 15:33)

There are others! Many, many others! Over twenty to be exact. And Proverbs links this attitude toward God with wisdom saying, in effect, the wise are wise because they know their place before God. They are not wise in their own eyes. They trust God and shun evil. They walk uprightly and are not caught up in the snares of death. They are humble and do not grab honor falsely. And before all of these is the one command: To fear the Lord.

So how do we do this? What does this look like? Well, you can fear the Lord too. You can stand up with the wise. Respect of the Lord comes in the form of practice. How we live our lives. It shows itself in how we organize our time, how we parcel out our talents, and how we distribute our treasure. Its fingerprints are over each and every part of our lives. It's reflected in how we treat others at the grocery store, how we communicate with friends and relatives. It is more a public thing than a private one.

Fear of the Lord isn’t about what you do in the privacy of your own home as much as it is about what you do in community. The examples above show that a bit, but here are others, straight from Proverbs...

Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials. - Prov. 24:21
Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress and their children will be a refuge.-Prov 14:26

How you schedule your time is about your fear of the Lord. How you organize your resources is about your fear of the Lord. How you act in the grocery store, how you treat the neighbor that disagrees with you, and how you act toward your leaders and pastors is about your fear of the Lord. Your fear of the Lord is worn around your life like a tie, evident to all who look at you.

What will others see in you? Will they see Christ? Will they see your respect and love and honor of God in everything you do? Or will they see you worshiping yourself? Honoring yourself? Holding yourself above all others? Putting yourself above all others, even God? What will people see when they look at your life? Will they see a wise man who fears the Lord? Or a fool?

The choice is yours to make...according to Proverbs. And there's only two choices... Fear God...or be the fool. What will you decide? Amen.

Questions to Ponder
1) Examine your own relationship to God. How would you describe it? Would you use the word “fear” to describe that relationship? Has your relationship changed any?

2) Are you “afraid” of God? Or do you “Fear” Him? What is the difference? Read 1 John 4. What definition is John using in this chapter?

3) Where is respect for God lacking in your life? Where have you kept control and left God out of the picture?

A Prayer to Pray
Almighty God, we are called to serve, love, and fear you above all else. Dispel the shadows that crowd our time and thoughts and set us free to serve, love, and respect you as we follow our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Pondering the Proverbs: An Underrated Peace

Proverb of the Week: (Courtesy of Leslie Pehl. Thanks Leslie!)
Better to live on the corner of the roof than to share a house with a quarrelsome wife. Proverbs 25:24

The Meditation: An Underrated Peace
Drama is in!

Look at the television listings today and you will be amazed at how much drama is on television! There are police and court room dramas galore! There’s supernatural drama and real-life drama. And then there’s family drama.

Family drama is big, especially on the soap operas. Usually these stories involve an all-too-proud husband, a couple of spoiled kids, and a quarrelsome wife. Mix in a few families with the same dynamics and you have a mighty explosion. Of course, they can never all get along. That’s the drama of it all. It starts when the wife gets fed up, the husband has an affair with the neighbor, and the kids are forgotten in the background. Then the fights, the revenge scenario, the breakups, each spouse finds a new mate, and the whole thing starts over again. The entertainment is in the who’s going where with whom...I think.

Of course that’s television, right? These events don’t ever translate into “real life”...right?

Wrong!

These events happen every day all around us. And they’re nothing new. In fact, Proverbs itself warns its readers not to bring drama into their household. From its warnings over child raising:

“Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.” (Prov. 19:18)

To it’s warnings over quarreling...

“A foolish son is his father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is alike constant dripping.”
(Prov. 19:13)

You could almost say that much of Proverbs is written to help extinguish drama in the household.

Drama might be entertaining when its happening to other people, but it can be extremely destructive when its happening to you. Drama can rip your family apart. It can create wounds that will never heal. It can separate parents, squash passion, and put everyone at odds with each other. Real drama is a terrible thing.

Thus Proverbs warns against quarreling, the foundation of drama. I often watch Dr. Phil, and one of the tactics he uses to wake parents up to their ways is to film them. A camera in the home will often capture things we don’t even realize we’re doing. And these parents and spouses who quarrel so much and bring drama alive in their homes never realize the impact that quarrel has on the children and on each other. They don’t listen to what they’re saying when they’re saying it. Everything is said for dramatic effect and to hurt the other person.

What if we could gain that distance without being on national television? What if we could understand the effect our words have on our spouses and children without having to hurt them at all?

That’s the purpose of Proverbs! To warn us! To help us see the futility of our quarrels.

When we’re arguing with our spouse, we can remember:
“Better to live on the corner of a house than to share a home with a quarrelsome spouse.”

And we can realize just how stupid we’re coming across as.

Or just before we choose yet another battle we just can’t win we can think:
“...a quarrelsome spouse is like constant dripping.”

Or before we make one more stupid comment on the cooking in our home we can know:
“Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.”(Prov. 17:1)

See, each and every verse can help us live a more peaceful life with our children, our family, and our spouses so that the drama we experience in life is only seen on television from the comfort of our peaceful living room. Amen.

Questions to Ponder
1) How pleasant are you to live with? Is your house full of conflicts and quarrels?

2) What part do YOU have to play in the drama that happens in your home? How could you step out of your part to squash the drama?

3) Should the Bible be used to improve our life? What other good advice have you found in its pages?

A Prayer to Pray
Almighty God, you have blessed us with families and communities. Shower your peace upon us that we might be patient and kind to others, for Jesus sake. Amen.

Pondering the Proverbs: Opinions...

Proverbs of the Day: One who spares words is knowledgeable; one who is cool in spirit has understanding.
Even fools who keep silent are considered wise:
When they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent.
(Proverbs 17:27-28)

Meditation: Does Everyone Get An Opinion?
Every morning, after sending the kids and the wife off to work, I jump on the internet to see what the news is. It’s a habit I’ve gotten into, to recharge my prayer requests and help me see what’s happening in the world. I check the news sits on Yahoo and the news on MSN mostly for their brevity. I don’t have to sit through a whole half-hour news broadcast of thumb through the papers. I can just read short sentences and find out what’s happening. For me, it’s one of the many joys of the internet.

Of course it’s not all perfect! If the news itself wasn’t enough to depress you, each of the sites have started taking opinions at the bottom of the article. “Comments” if you will. And these “Comments” truly reveal how ignorant we’ve become!

For instance, today on Yahoo you’ll read about the Super-Typhoon that ripped through the Phillipeans. What a terrible tragedy, huh? People are seen in the pictures running away from the storm carrying their loved ones in their arms. It’s truly a call to prayer as we lift up the people of the islands to God asking for his protection against this savage storm.

The whole article makes your heart break...until you get to the end of the piece. There, where 503 comments have been posted as of this morning, you’ll read these comments:

“Can’t they just sacrifice some folks and calm down the water gods?”
“Hope they are all okay...but I was just wondering...I’ve never seen a filipino marry a filipino...almost all of them want to marry foreigners. I guess for them it’s a quick ticket out of their country, but marriage is something more than that.”

Now why did these two people need to comment on this article this way? Why do they offer the option to comment on the news at all? Is their opinion that wise and powerful to affect any who reads it? Why must they argue back and forth about the stupidest things when they know(or should know) there’s no way to sway anyone’s opinions? I honestly don’t understand... Does everyone get an opinion? And does everyone’s opinion count? If comments are left anonymously, do they still matter?

Our proverbs this week speak to this phenomenon. They might sound ancient. They might have been written years and years ago, but they are still most relevant today. And yet, in the present Age of Information, I think people miss what they’re saying. Keep your opinions to yourself! We get that... If you can’t say something nice and constructive, say nothing. Yeah... I understand. Even our grandparents would agree. They would say...

Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool...
Than to open it and remove all doubt.

Still some would ask... But what about what you type or write? What about the opinions you share on the internet, that big anonymous place? What about there? Is the internet a place where we can be free to share our opinions with each other, no matter how constructive or destructive they are? You’d think that was the case, given the flood of information and opinions that stream from people all over the world. The internet, they would argue, allows me to express my opinion with no consequences, no matter how hurtful it might be.

But what if these things were spoken aloud? Would any of them stand up and take credit for them? What if the things you type on the internet were read in public, with cameras fixed on you. Would you say it? I don’t think so. Most of the things that are written on the internet are NOT things people would readily share outside the internet. Most comments typed on Yahoo and other news sites wouldn’t be spoken in any public arena in the world. Spoken aloud, the foolish words

Opinions matter, that’s for sure, but opinions written at the bottom of most news items do little to increase anyone’s wisdom or understanding. Nor do they encourage productive conversation. Most comments just illustrate the measure of foolishness in our world! A measure that, if you read these comments, is off the charts!

So what do we do about it? What do we say?

Let’s look to Proverbs for answers. Proverbs tells us: “To watch over mouth and tongue is to keep our of trouble.”(Prov. 21:23). And the best way to watch over mouth and tongue is to avoid contention. Stop reading the comments! Just stop! If you’re an internet news junkie like me, avoid the bottom of the page. Just avoid it! If you’re not into the internet, there’s something to be said too. Avoid temptations that will lead you to open your mouth in foolish speech. Avoid such things.

And if you can’t avoid them... then use this simple rule. Give ten blessings for every criticism you give. If you have a list of ten criticisms, give ten blessings for each one of them. That’s over a hundred blessings! Shower good things upon the person! Not evil. If you must rebuke, do so in love and compassion, with their best interest in mind. Remember that the evil people perceive will be remembered far longer than the good you might have given.

This can apply to everything we say, not just what we type. Be compassionate. Proverbs also says: “The human spirit will endure sickness; but a broken spirit–who can bear?” (Prov. 18:14). Keep your hurtful words to yourself. Break not the spirits around you. For you never know how others will translate what you say. A “constructive comment” could be just another blow to your neighbor’s spirit.

We never realize the impact of our words on others. We can never fathom just how much of an impact we have on others in even the stupid comments we share. This, I think, the world has learned these past two weeks as the story of Tyler Clementi has risen out in the news. Tyler was the boy teased and picked on via Facebook. He ended up throwing himself off the George Washington bridge! That’s the power of words! That’s the tragedy of a broken spirit! When criticism has gotten too much, when the bad things really do outweigh all the good, even in perception. That’s what happens!

Let’s not let that happen! Let’s have every word from our mouth and every meditation of our heart be pleasing in the sight of our Lord Jesus Christ. For if we couldn’t say aloud it in front of Jesus, should we really be saying it or typing it at all? Amen!

Questions to ponder
1) How critical are you of other people? Your leaders? Your friends? Do others shun away from you when you open your mouth? Or are they anxious to hear what you have to say?

2) How could your words be better pleasing to God? Set a watch over what you say and what you type to other people this week. How might you censor your own foolishness?

3) Try this: When critical thoughts come to your mind about a particular someone, think of ten blessings and compliments you could share with them. And then share it! How does that change the way you view the world?

A Prayer to Pray
Word of God, your presence among us here reminds us that words are powerful. You have spoken grace and forgiveness to us. May we share that same grace and forgiveness in everything we say, write, text, or type, for Jesus sake. Amen.

Pondering the Proverbs: A Cure for Anxiety

Proverb of the Day: An anxious heart weighs a man, but a kind word cheers him up.
Proverbs 12:25


The Meditation: The Cure for Anxiety
Stress is everywhere these days it seems. Go to the grocery store sometime and see it for yourself. It’s etched on the faces of the cashier. It’s scribbled across the brow of the stock boy. It’s colored on most every person that walks through the door. It’s like set of invisible pencils, coloring how we see ourselves and how others perceive us as well. Check it out for yourself! You’ll be surprised.

People today are stressed about everything. The economy and their shrinking pocketbooks, children and their welfare, the president, the wars, the weather! And those are only a few! Stress at home, in our relationships there. Stress in the workplace as job prospects remain uncertain. Stress that follows health problems. Stress that follows reputation. Spiritual stress, emotional stress, physical stress. Stress that follows stress! The list goes on and on.

And these problems are a burden on us...literally! Studies show that stress can actually weigh a person down. It can bend a back. It can cause all sorts of stomach problems. It can twist and change a person, and isolate them in their home. Stress is, as one book describes, an invisible tiger, sitting on your back, watching and waiting to strike. The anxious heart really does weigh a person down.

Stress is nothing new. The people of the Bible struggled with stress. Otherwise it wouldn’t have been in the Bible and it wouldn’t appear in Proverbs. But the book of Proverbs itself has many examples of stress. From...
An anxious heart weighs a man, but a kind word cheers him up.
Proverbs 12:25

To...
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Proverbs 17:22

The book of Proverbs is full of metaphors describing stress and its affect on human hearts.

Personally I like the image of dried up bones to describe the state of people’s hearts today. Bleached white, dried up bones, seems perfect to describe how people are living today. Sit in that same grocery store and watch people enter in. People really do wear their hearts on their sleeves. Some will appear nervous and uncomfortable. Some will seem rushed. Others you will sense a deep longing, a weight and a hunger within them. And others may be happy to be there. All have differing “heart states”, if you will, each one different from the other.

But we have some remedy for that. We have a way to affect the lives of others for the better. Our first proverb calls this power “kind words”, while the later proverb calls it a “cheerful heart.” In any case, how we encounter others will affect their day, neutrally, positively, or negatively.

Suppose we walk up to the cashier, ignore who they are, forget to call them by name, impersonally pay for our items, and leave. We won’t be remembered two hours later. We will have done nothing wrong. A simple transaction was all we came in for. But we will have done nothing right either. Our affect on their day will be neutral.

Or suppose we storm up to the cashier, making demands, growling under our breath. We argue with them, pay little attention to their feelings, and leave, storming out the door. We may be remembered...but mostly in a negative light. And if anything is going wrong in their lives, we will have only amplified its affect.

But suppose we walk up to the cashier, greet them by name(which every one of them has posted on their sleeve.). We notice what they’re wearing, how they look today. We laugh with them, tell them how much we appreciate them, thank them for their hard work, and leave with a smile. How will that have affected them? You guessed it! You will be a positive affect in their life. They might remember you, what you said. Or not. But in any case, you will have made them feel better about themselves and their day. You will have “cheered them up”. You will have been “good medicine” for them. You will have made their day a little brighter.

But more than that. You will have been Christ to them. Our Lord Jesus tells us: “Whatever you do to the least of these you do it for me.”(Matthew 25:40). When you brighten someone’s day you are being Christ to them. You are sharing the love of Jesus with them. And you are helping them through. And whether they know why you did it or not. Whether they realize that you are being kind for the sake of Christ, doesn’t matter or not. You will have brightened their day, warmed their hearts, and reached out in love and compassion toward them.

There’s a song we sing every so often at church. It’s called “Brighten the Corner Where You Are.”

Do not wait until some deed of greatness you may do,
Do not wait to shed your light a far;
To the many duties ever near you now be true,
Brighten the corner where you are.

Brighten the corner where you are!
Brighten the corner where you are!
Someone far from harbor you may guide across the bar,
Brighten the corner where you are!

Just above the clouded skies that you may help to clear,
Let not narrow self your way debar;
Tho into one heart alone may fall your song of cheer,
Brighten the corner where you are!

Here for all your talent you may sure fined a need,
Here reflect the Bright and Morning Star;
Even from your humble hand the bread of life may feed,
Brighten the corner where you are!

The songwriter might have jumped right out of Proverbs. For that is the message there too. Use your kind words to lighten hearts and your cheerful spirits to change life for Christ Sake. Amen!

Questions to Ask

1) Think of a time when you were feeling down. Did anyone ever say anything that made you feel better? Worse? How did words affect your life either positively or negatively?

2) When have you reached out in love and compassion to another? Have you seen a change in them? In the way they acted or responded to you? Imagine if you did that more often.

3) If you are feeling down and worn out yourself, where will you find the energy, strength, and positive push to reach out to others?

A Prayer to Pray...

God of the stranger, you encounter us in the least of these that surround us each and every day. Open our eyes that we might see their needs, their hurt and wants. And give us your Spirit that we might share with them the simple words of love and by sharing be changed ourselves, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Pondering the Proverbs: A Startling Application

Proverbs of the Day:

“All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart.” Proverbs 21:2
““Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”
Proverbs 26:21-22
“Answer a fool according to his folly or he will be wise in his own eyes.” Prov. 26:5
“An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.” Proverbs 24:26

Meditation: A Startling Application

Just when I start to think that the Bible speaks only to people long dead, that it has nothing to say to me in my life, BAM! something happens! A verse here, another verse there, and suddenly the Bible is speaking to ME in MY situation. Like a teacher God suddenly appears sitting in the room with the wisdom of the centuries to show me how best to proceed.

It all started with one simple verse.

“All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart.” Proverbs 21:2

I started thinking about the many conversations I’ve had with people. Conversations around their lives and how they live. The priorities they’ve set and the habits they’ve acquired. I started thinking about the people I’ve spoken to about worship, their attitudes and their opinions. And I realized something I hadn’t ever realized before.

No matter what I said, nothing I said or did would ever change their minds!

One woman told me she didn’t need church. She could pray and worship all by herself in her own home. When I tried to tell her what the community of believers meant, she calmly dismissed it. Another woman told me she was taking a break from church and, despite my pleas to the contrary, she hasn’t returned for months. There are others like them. And that’s not all. Even in my own family, my pleas for change have fallen on deaf ears. Like many families, certain unhealthy habits have crept into my family, poisoning the very air they breathe. Do I mention these habits to them, despite all that I have tried? I’ve tried to point it out...but nothing seems to change.

Scripture didn’t seem to help me out of my distress...

“Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” Proverbs 26:21-22

More hope for a fool than for them? Really? Though I knew that what I told them fell on deaf ears I thought there must be a way to change them. Maybe with a little more convincing or a better argument. Or maybe they just need to hear, one more time, how much I care? Surely there is hope for them in that, right? Right? I was a Philosophy major in college and the thought that a good argument can’t fix things cuts me to the core! Maybe it’s the reason why I just can’t give up on them! Though my arguments fall on deaf ears, I think maybe the next argument or the next Sunday we’ll see some change.

So should I shut up about it? Should I go on and not say a word about it? Should I forget that it even bothers me?

No, the Bible says, you need to speak...

“Answer a fool according to his folly or he will be wise in his own eyes.” Prov. 26:5

Despite being reminded of their inability to change, I still have an obligation to speak. Or they will remain wise in their own eyes. But what do I say? And how do I say it? Do I try to argue with them as I have before? Do I confront them with their mistake? Do I lord it over them, act as though I have wisdom and they don’t?

I didn’t do any of this before...but I could try...

Still, God speaks to me through the Scripture.

“An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.” Proverbs 24:26

So this is what I will say. I will speak the truth in love.

I will answer them as they present themselves. You see, the mistake I make is in the answer I give. In the course of conversations, I tend to shy away from conflict. I do not speak what is on my heart. I fail to tell the woman who thinks she can make it on her own that the church offers the means of grace, Holy Communion and Holy Baptism, that cannot be taken for ourselves apart from the community of believers. I fail to speak words of grace to those burned out at the church, offering them the free grace of God that comes without any work on our part.

To my own family, I turn away when they go out for a cigarette. I ignore the beer bottles littering their room. I fail to tell them just how much they mean to me and how it kills me that they’re doing this to themselves.

But an honest answer, that’s what I can give. A word of truth spoken in love. To confront those who don’t see a need for church with the means of grace. To quietly remind those who have wandered astray that we still care. To tell my family members how much they mean to me. And to pray.

That’s what I can do.

It might not change things right away. I may not see them in worship next Sunday. My family may still suffer from addiction. But I trust. I trust in God whose Word Incarnate transforms lives each and every day. I trust in the God who created the world out of nothing, who split the Red Sea and caused the wind and the waves to calm down. I trust in God who makes all things new...even us! Amen!

Questions to Answer
1) Do these verses: Proverbs 24:26; Proverbs 26:21-22; Proverbs 26:5; Proverbs 21:2. Do they apply to you in your life? Can you think of an application for YOU?

2) When have you read the Bible and had the words JUMP out off the page at you? Were they words of comfort or of instruction? Did they remind you what God was doing or show you what to do yourself?

3) Do you have anyone who could use an honest answer from you? What is stopping you from sharing what you truly feel with them?

End with Prayer
Gracious God, you call us into community with others. Give us the words to say that we might speak the Truth in love and that your Son might be known through everything we say and do. Amen.

Pondering the Proverbs: Decisions...Decisions!

Proverbs of the Week:
Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart. Prov. 18:18
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. Prov. 16:33

Meditation: Decisions...Decisions!

Suppose you had two job options. Both jobs provided what you needed. Both jobs were in your field of specialty. Both were identical in so many ways. How would you decide between them?

Or suppose your organization is deciding how best to move forward. Your board, composed of a variety of individuals, sits down at the table to determine their next move. What comes from the meeting are two choices. How do they decide which path to walk?

Or again two individuals are qualified for a certain position, say pastor. How does the church decide which of the two candidates God is leading you to choose? How is that decision, or any decision for that matter in the church, made? By executive order? By majority vote? Or by some other means?

The book of Proverbs today points us back to an ancient way of decision-making, a way that might seem foreign or alien to many of us. It’s called “casting lots”. Here’s how it works. When decisions needed to be made in faith or life, the ancients didn’t vote. They didn’t raise their hands and count opinions. Instead rolled dice, flipped a coin, or drew straws to determine God’s will. Whatever the lots said was listened to...and accepted. For the decision that followed was God’s.

This might seem absurd to our standards. A cultural practice fossilized in Scripture. Still there is wisdom here. This practice prevents one person or group from dominating the decision. There was arguing, no political debates. Only the presentation of possibilities and the lot was cast. And, for the most part, it worked to decide! Many things in fact. You can read all about how the lot was cast to determine God’s will in an article here.

Probably the most well-known account of the lot being cast occurred just after the Resurrection when the disciples use this very method to determine which person would replace Judas as the next 12th disciple.

“[Peter said] ‘Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us...For one of them to become a witness with us of his resurrection.’
So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.
Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry which Judas left to go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.”(Acts 1:21-26)

Notice what the apostles did here. First they narrowed down the choices. They wanted someone who’d been a witness of Jesus Christ, who’d been with them from the beginning. Then they proposed the two candidates to God. Then they cast the lot and let it fall where they will. And the best part of all... NO ONE WAS UPSET! At least that seems the case. Matthias doesn’t storm out of the room distraught and discouraged. He doesn’t go off and form his own group of disciples. Matthias accepts that he’s not chosen and that choice has nothing to do with the opinion of the majority. The Lord has had the final decision.

In America and in America’s churches, we trust the majority. We trust that the majority of the people have the best interests of the whole in mind. After all the options have been laid out, we hand out little papers and pencils, and put our decisions in the majority’s hands, trusting that the opinion of the majority is in the best interest of the whole. We trust the majority over the lot.

But even this method is flawed. Even the rule of the majority does not prevail. For what happens when the vote fails? What happens when even the voice of the majority is dismissed? What happens when the decision isn’t accepted, even after the vote is cast?

I know a church who voted down leaving their denomination, not once, not twice, but four times! Still, despite being told by the majority of their members this was not to happen, the pastor and a little group around him pushed for more and more meetings until, in the end, their will prevailed and the congregation, which had by this time lost most of its members, left their denomination.

Majority rule has it’s problems and so does casting lots. For, unless everyone agrees to accept the decision of the dice, chances are no decision will ever be made. But however we decide, personally or socially, one thing is clear. No matter how we make our decisions, we must consider too what God wants too. We must call out for God to influence our decision. We must open ourselves up to the possibility that maybe God might do a NEW thing here, like God did a new thing in Jesus Christ. And we must trust God. Trust that God has a say in the matter and cares what happens there too.

For me, making decisions in my life, I try to look at all the possibilities. I try to listen to my gut, to feel the decision out rather than think it out. Some choices might look like good choices from the start, but they just feel wrong. I pray(a lot) and ask God to guide my decision. Then I step out, decide, and leave the rest in God’s hands.

So the next time when you’re facing a decision, when you’re trying to decide which path to choose and you just can’t choose between them, stop. Take a minute to pray, asking God to direct your decision. Then step into that decision in faith, for God is with you and will be with you no matter what you choose to the very end. Amen!

Questions to Answer
1. Think about a time when you had to make a tough decision in your life. How did you choose what to do and what not to do?

2. Do you agree with Proverbs’ advice here? Should we start casting lots to decide things, placing the lot in God’s hands? How else might we include God in our decisions?

3. How else could we allow God to become a part of every decision that we make?

End With Prayer
Almighty God, you have plans for our lives, to prosper us and not to harm us. Lead us in your footsteps. Forgive us when we stumble. And guide our every decision, through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Pondering the Proverbs: The Power of Gossip

Proverb of the Week : Courtesy of Leslie Pehl
Without wood a fire goes out;
without gossip a quarrel dies down. Proverbs 26:20

The Meditation: The Power of Gossip

“Did you hear?”
“What?”
“Well, I probably shouldn’t tell you. It’s not very good.”
“Oh... Go ahead. I won’t say anything.”
“Oh well. What’s it gonna hurt? I heard that...”

Ever been privy to one of these conversations? Or overheard one of these conversations spoken in the grocery store, at the post office, in the school hallways? Have you ever had a secret you shouldn’t tell...and then found yourself telling someone who never knew? Or found your ears itching to hear what the couple next to you is saying? Only so you could repeat it?

If you have then you’ve been involved with Gossip!

Gossip is the strangest thing. It feels so innocent. It’s only a few words. Maybe a little story overheard someplace else passed on to the another person. It doesn’t change anything or cause too much trouble... right? Gossip is an intrigal part of our lives today. We have whole columns and newspapers devoted to it. Television shows like : “Extra” and “Hollywood Insider” keep us up to date on the celebrity gossip. And even our county newspaper can give rise to it on occasion.

Gossip isn’t new either. It wasn’t invented last year. In fact, the book of Proverbs has something to say about the phenomenon too.

“Without wood a fire goes out;
without gossip a quarrel dies down.” (Prov. 26:20)
“The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to a man’s inmost parts.” (Prov. 26:22)

Gossip itself lies to us, making us think it is something that it isn’t. For instance...
Gossip always hurts...regardless of the story involved. You have heard it said: “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” But I tell you, from the book of James, “The tongue is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person...With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father and with it we curse men who have been made in God’s likeness.”(James 3:6a, 9).

Gossip hurts far worse than physical violence ever would because it wounds a persons integrity and reputation. After one gossip tale or another, the trust we have for the person goes down, their reputation takes a beating. Sadly they’re usually out of the room so it is impossible for them to even defend themselves against the attacks.

Gossip isn’t just lies. Reading something in the paper and talking about it with someone who isn’t involved in the issue can be considered gossip too when that talk disrespects the other person or wounds their reputation. In our home, the Police Blotters give us plenty of opportunity for gossip as they often feature humorous stories that can be easily passed on. Who benefits from the telling? Well, the teller does. Who pays the price? Those involved do. They become the objects of ridicule.

Hearing Gossip is wrong too. I’ve heard people say: “I might overhear something but I never tell anyone.” That is good on one front, but not good on another. Listening to gossip period is wrong in the eyes of God. Why? Because of what Proverbs says. The words of a gossip go down deep into us. And though we may never say anything to anyone about it, but the fact of the matter is, gossip has changed us. Now whenever we see the other person, we will think of the gossip we heard. Whenever we interact together, the stories we heard will be at the back of our minds. We can’t help it interfering with how we see them. It just happens.

So what do we do with all of this?? Now that we understand what Gossip is, what do we do to stop it?

Well, the Bible has a number of solutions for us as well.

1) From Proverbs 21:23: “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.”
You can remember another proverb you probably learned: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” Guard what you say. Make sure that it builds others up and doesn’t tear them down. If you must talk about others behind their back, praise them and honor them. Put the best construction on everything they do and say. Give them the benefit of the doubt.

2) From Proverbs 20:19: “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.”
The best medicine for gossip is really to stay away! Avoid the gossip at all costs. Since even listening to gossip is a sin, don’t hang around it. If you hear someone start a story, ask them not to finish it. Or leave the room. Interrupt their negative tale with a positive one. Or throw doubt into their story to begin with. The power of the gossip lies in his or her ability to make you believe what they are saying. So...logically... stop believing everything they’re telling you! Most of it is made up anyway or embellished upon. Stop listening to them!

3) From Ecclesiastes 7:21: “Do not pay attention to every word people say or you may hear your servant cursing you–for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.”
The fact of the matter is... Gossip happens. It happens to you and you make it happen to others. So... don’t pay any attention to it. Not the gossip that is going around about you and certainly not the stuff that’s going around about others. Forgive the gossip. Forgive the others for not being perfect people and forgive yourself for not living up to their expectations.

4) Finally.. The ultimate solution is simply...forgiveness! We must learn how to forgive and forget the wrongs that others do. So what they’re not perfect...we’re not perfect too! So what they’ve messed up in their lives...we’ve messed up too! Stop comparing yourself with everyone else and soon you’ll find the urge to gossip start to disappear. As you know yourself to be as sinful(if not more so) than your neighbor beside you, the urge to gossip about them, to make them look worse than you are, disappears and you may find a spirit of compassion and love given only by Jesus Christ our Lord descend upon your heart and mind. May that Spirit descend upon you this week! Amen.

Questions to Answer

1) Is gossip really wrong? Talk about it? When would gossip be considered “good”? Or would it ever be considered that?

2) Think about a time gossip has negatively affected your life. How did you feel? What did you hear others were saying? How did they react to you? Did you feel empowered by others talking bad about you? Or powerless?

3) Is there really a way you guard yourself from gossip? Have you ever? Or do your ears itch when you hear someone start whispering about someone beside you?

End With Prayer
Word of God, you speak into our hearts and change lives. Mold us into your children that, by every word we speak, we may build others up. Guard our ears from the whispers of the gossip and empower us to speak your word of grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.