1 Timothy 6:13-19

“As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” vs. 17

We should not imagine that all of the followers of Jesus were poor people. Just as in our time people from all walks of life were attracted to him and to his message, and he loved them all. It is true that as the years passed, the church’s egalitarian message did have a special attraction for the poor. The faith community welcomed them and their poverty was not a barrier to inclusion. But there were still many rich people who found a home in those communities too. And they were expected to be rich in good works and generous in sharing–but they were also enjoined to be humble, and that was perhaps the biggest challenge of all. There’s a certain arrogance that can accompany those who are wealthy, and sometimes, even when they don’t realize it, they can carry an attitude of entitlement and privilege. That’s not always true of course, and what a blessing it is when the wealthiest people in a congregation are also the most down-to-earth and least pretentious. Because they know that God is the source of all wealth, they are able to look to the needs of others first, and can use their gifts to help and to serve. Their humility is their richest gift of all!

Thought for the Day: Why do humility and wealth sometimes not mix well?

1 Timothy 6:6-12

“Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.” vss. 6-8

The wisdom in these few short verses is overwhelming. Obviously accumulation was an issue even for first century followers of Jesus and some seem to have been infected by the notion that more is better. Two thousand years later we know exactly what’s being talked about. Our whole economy rests on consumer spending, and when it lags behind, economists are quick to tell us that disaster is on the way. From childhood we’re programmed to want the latest and the greatest and that desire never seems to fade. Of course there’s much good that can come from technological advancements and we probably all appreciate the good things that have come into our possession. The problem is that all of those neat and fancy things we accumulate along the way can’t give us the contentment that comes with simplicity. We probably do need a bit more than food and clothing, and we certainly appreciate safe and secure housing, but when we have a solid God-connection, life can be pretty good when all we have is the basics. It’s at that point we can work on polishing our relationships and can begin to relish the joy that comes from our brothers and sisters in Christ. What’s really sad is that it takes so long to figure this out!

Thought for the Day: What do I need for contentment?

Psalm 146:5-10

“The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord!” vs. 10

Those who believe that the whole idea of God is an artificial construct, an invention designed to explain the unanswered questions of primitive humans, are likely looking forward to the day when people will be able to see all the dead and dying religions in the rear-view cameras of their fusion powered starships! While they know this will likely take a few centuries, they’re confident that one day artificial intelligence and the metaverse will be able to satisfy all of our needs. The psalmist would have been shocked at their blasphemy–and he would likely have labeled their ideas as blasphemous and unthinkable. The Lord is so much greater than we can even imagine, and while it is true that ideas about God have changed through the years, God will simply not disappear. It’s impossible! All things have their being in God and if there were no God, neither would there be anything else! The psalmist is right. The Lord will reign forever, for all generations, and that good news should make all of us sing praises every day, especially as we expand our vision of God and begin to see divine glimpses in the ordinary stuff of life. There’s a lot to be uncertain about in this universe, and many unanswered questions, but God’s existence isn’t one of them. 

Thought for the Day: How convinced am I of God’s existence?

Psalm 146:1-4

“Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help. When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.” vss. 3-4

We don’t know exactly when this psalm was written but the writer had obviously been around the track a few times. He’d lived long enough to know that princes were not to be trusted–and in our day we could probably add politicians to that list. It’s not that they’re all bad people or that they don’t occasionally have good ideas, but even the best of them get old and die. And when that happens, they’re rapidly forgotten. It really is amazing then, that in these election years we get so fired up about the candidates running for office. They manufacture hysteria about inconsequential matters and regularly engage in passing on distortions and intentional lies. Of course the election does matter–there are important decisions to be made on a state and national level about the future. But in twenty years we’ll be hard pressed to even name the winners–not all will die, but they certainly pass out of mind. In some ways this is disappointing. It would be nice if some galvanizing leaders would come along and transform the world forever. But messiahs are a rare breed, and the best of them aren’t politicians. And the best one of all has already come! And there’s probably no need for another one!

Thought for the Day: Why do people keep trusting politicians?

Amos 6:1a, 4-7

“Alas for those who are at ease in Zion, and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria…who lounge on their couches…who drink wine from bowls…but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!” vss  4a, 5a, 6a, 7b

Amos broadens his scathing critique of Israel to include the leaders of Judah, and sees nothing but disaster for their respective nations. The leading families are living in the lap of luxury and sparing no expense in the pursuit of pleasure. What he observed has been repeated again and again all over the world and can certainly be seen in our own time as well. There seems to be no upper limit to luxurious living and humans are marvelously inventive in thinking of new ways to pamper our flesh and indulge our material fantasies. Now finding pleasure in living is no sin, but as Amos saw, the pursuit of luxury almost always involves the abasement and the neglect of the poor. It’s not likely that any of us are going to be able to shift the momentum of history single-handedly, but we can, in our own lives, be aware of the not-so-subtle allure of luxury and what has been called “first-class living.” As followers of Jesus we are called to share resources and gladly do what we can to lift up the needy. Many are doing exactly that, and we’ve discovered that generous individuals, working together, can make a big dent in poverty, and even Amos might have been pleased!

Thought for the Day: What luxuries give me most pleasure?

Luke 16:8-13

“No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” vs. 13

Most of the time the parables of Jesus are focused on a particular point, and if we study them long enough, we can see what he’s up to. The parable of the dishonest manager is more difficult to deal with. Many have called it enigmatic. At the end of our reflection though it seems evident that Jesus is speaking some hard truths about wealth and the difficulty it provides for those who wish to be his followers. He seems to be saying that the best thing you can do with the wealth that comes into your hands in the course of your lifetime is to give it away. He implies that it’s dangerous, that it could threaten your relationship with God, that it can actually become your god! Is he right? Well, even a cursory look at the lives of people in this generation is enough to verify his point. Countless folks have devoted themselves to wealth and are preoccupied with its accumulation through every hour of the day. And it has unbelievable power, directing us into particular careers and lifestyles, and dictating the ultimate goals of our lives. It even influences our friendship circles and the neighborhoods we live in. When wealth is our master it becomes almost impossible to serve Jesus!

Thought for the Day: How has wealth impacted my life?

Luke 16:1-7

“So he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.’ “ vs 2

When we hear Jesus’ parable of the dishonest manager it’s likely that we will be stirred to reflect on our own management of the resources that have been entrusted to us by God. Whether it’s our intention or not, each of us comes into possession of a considerable amount of wealth in the course of our lifetimes, probably enough to make us millionaires by the time we retire. So how have we done? Some are notoriously poor managers and squander what they’ve been given with foolish purchases and investments. When they finally are forced to make an accounting they’re embarrassed and ashamed and may discover they’ve joined the ranks of the poor and needy. Others will have acted shrewdly and multiplied their wealth exponentially. But the point really isn’t how much we’ve managed to accumulate, it’s how well we’ve used that which has been entrusted to us. God’s bottom line is not a number in our portfolio, but the blessings we’ve been able to generate with our wise and generous gifts to others. Prudent management of our wealth will always include distributions to those working to bring bread to the hungry and homes to the homeless. We may not be able to go to Somalia in person but our dollars can make all the difference in the world.

Thought for the Day: How should a person choose a favorite charity?

1 Timothy 2:3-7

“This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” vss. 3-4

Early Christians were encouraged by their leaders to pray for everyone because those leaders believed that God desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. What had happened in Christ Jesus wasn’t just for a few but for all people. It’s important to maintain that universal dimension in our faith practices and not fall back into the notion that salvation is limited to those who have jumped through the proper hoops or who worship in a particular way. When we adopt that inclusive attitude toward others we are enabled to embrace folks of every tribe and nation without first having to make them clones of ourselves. We know that God loves them, works through them and is using them to establish the kingdom of peace throughout the world. They are our brothers and sisters, children of the same Creator, and God desires for all of us together to know and love the truth. One of the blessings of our multicultural age is that we’ve actually gotten to know some of these people who once seemed so strange and far away. There is incredible richness and variety among the children of God, and when we can celebrate our solidarity, goodness abounds for all.

Thought for the Day: Why is multiculturalism a good thing?

2 Timothy 2:1-2

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.” vss. 1-2

First century Christians lived in a different world from ours. There weren’t many of them and they continually lived in fear of the despotic Roman rulers and the military legions scattered throughout the Empire. At times they risked their lives just to be able to worship. Often they were thrown into prison. They longed for peace and quiet and their leaders urged them to pray for their secular rulers, including the governors and the emperor. Our situation is very different. Our leaders are elected and we have a voice in choosing them. We do not face persecution from the government no matter what some loud voices in the social media might claim. While our system is not perfect and always in need of reform, it does provide for remarkable freedom and stability. It’s amazing then how uncivil, nasty, and mean we can be in speaking of our leaders–and it’s getting worse. Some have been threatened and maligned beyond imagination. What’s worse, some Christians have been joining in! We are called to a higher standard! If the Christians of Rome could pray for Nero, we can offer prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving for all who hold office. Even if we didn’t vote for them, we can certainly pray for them–and mean it!

Thought for the Day: How sincere are my prayers for elected leaders?

Psalm 113

“Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap…” vss. 5-7

The psalmist can scarcely contain himself as he sings a song of praise to the Lord his God, the One who is greater than anything that can even be imagined. In his effort to show just how mighty God is he pictures the Lord seated on high, perhaps on a throne, looking down on the heavens and the earth. It’s an image that some can resonate with, but for others this transcendent view of God doesn’t work. But before we dismiss what the psalmist writes we should note what his God is doing. The Lord may be looking from afar but the Lord’s concern is with the poor and the needy. The poor are raised from the dust and the needy lifted up from the ash heap. The psalmist’s God got down and dirty with the hurting people of our world, and that’s still the way it is. No matter what image or definition of God we might craft for ourselves, the God we meet in Christ Jesus will be deeply immersed in caring for starving, homeless people wherever they are found, and if we truly want to be doing God’s works our hands are going to be getting dirty too. And when we get on with our mission and the poor are touched, our God is most certainly going to be praised!

Thought for the Day: How can we help the Somalians stay alive?