Amos 8:5b-8

“We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the sweepings of the wheat.” vss. 5b-6

Amos may have been from the hill country of a poor nation but he understood how the market operated in Israel during its “golden years.” His investigation didn’t take long and his report was scathing. Everything had been engineered to insure a profit for those who were already wealthy–the merchants rigged the balances and the poor were easy marks for extortion–some were living like slaves. They were going hungry in a land of plenty! Of course no one paid attention to Amos and eventually he became such a nuisance that he was ordered out of the country. But he didn’t go quietly! He could not believe that the Lord could endure such folly from Israel and said plainly that ultimately Israel would be destroyed–the wealthy would come to a wretched end. Some wonder what a prophet like Amos would have to say to a country like ours. We tend to think that we aren’t too bad, that we are a nation of compassionate people, and on our better days we are. But the tension between the rich and the poor is still with us, and some say the gap is growing–if it is, it’s something to worry about. Our Lord expects more of those who have more, and failure to tend to our duties will not go unnoticed!

Thought for the Day: How does God judge nations?

Luke 15:7-10

“Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” vs. 7

Jesus understood why the Pharisees and scribes were upset about his practice of eating with sinners and welcoming them into his presence. He knew that those who are righteous resent the good things that come to those whose lives have been marked by folly and foolishness. Some have felt like that in recent weeks when it became apparent that some people were about to have their student debt canceled. The resentment was particularly acute among those who had in fact scrimped and saved in order to pay off their debts. Their argument was simple: the policy wasn’t fair to those who had played by the rules! So no matter how much we might revel in the good news of amazing grace, if we’ve led exemplary lives, there will likely be a little bit of heartburn when we’re reminded that repentant sinners are the ones who spark joy in heaven. It’s just plain hard to take when an undeserving person gets the same benefits as everyone else. Of course, if we’re serious about being a follower of Jesus we’re going to need to get used to such inequities. That’s just the way he is! And if we’re really honest, that’s a good thing. Because there’s not a single one of us that gets what we deserve in this world. All of us are who we are purely because of the grace of God!

Thought for the Day: How do I feel about benefits for the undeserving?

Luke 15:1-6

“Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’” vss. 1-2

It’s a funny thing! We know that Jesus preferred the company of sinners and often had meals with them, but we’re often reluctant to really think of ourselves as sinners. Oh, we pay lip service to the notion, and are even a bit proud that our leader was such a humble man. We’ll even mention it if we happen to run into an obvious sinner or two along the way. We’ll tell them that Jesus loves sinners and if they want to come to church with us they’ll be welcomed at worship. But in our hearts many of us have a strong sense of our own righteousness. Odds are that we’d have felt right at home with those Pharisees and scribes who were a thorn in the side of Jesus. They’re our people: hardworking, law-abiding folks who keep on the straight and narrow, and who never seem to stray. In fact, because there are so many people like that in our congregations, some pastors have eliminated  the confession of sins from their liturgies. Their congregants just don’t see the need. Oh how silly we are in the church! If we don’t acknowledge our own sin (and it really is there) we’re going to miss out on Jesus–because he loves sinners more than anything else!

Thought for the Day: Is there a place for the righteous in Church?

1 Timothy 1:15-17

“The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost.” vs. 15 

Paul wasn’t a half-way sort of guy. By his own estimation he was a brilliant scholar, far more zealous for the law than any of his peers, blameless in all of his words and actions. But after his encounter with the Risen Christ he came to see that he was also the chief of sinners–no one else came close to matching his wretchedness. Whatever else that can be said of him, he certainly didn’t have any issues with his ego! We can chuckle a bit about Paul’s use of superlatives in describing himself, but he has a point that is worth remembering. If we’re really interested in a living relationship with Christ it’s crucial for us to acknowledge that we are sinners! For most that’s not much of a stretch–we’re fully aware of our defects. But some don’t like saying that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We’d rather talk about our intrinsic goodness and being created in the image of God. The problem is that during his ministry, Jesus hung out with sinners. He loved being with them and regularly offered them forgiveness. He saw the goodness of their hearts and offered them cleansing–and that’s what he does for us. We don’t have to wallow in our imperfections, but when mercy and grace are freely offered to all who confess their sins, it doesn’t make sense to deny that we are sinners.

Thought for the Day: What do I do with my sins?

1 Timothy 1:11-14

“I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence.” vss. 12-13

Our faith history is replete with stories of changed lives, and there is none more compelling than that of Paul, right back at the very beginning. At first an opponent of the Church, he became its greatest missionary and his teachings have been a blessing to us all. Paul’s experience left him grateful to Christ Jesus and reminds us that people can change for the good. By nature we tend to be skeptical–we doubt that a leopard can change its spots and we’re quick to judge people by the actions of the past. The career of a politician can come to a screeching halt when the media resurrects old indiscretions or inappropriate actions. It is presumed that as a person once was, so they will always be. People doubted Paul too, but ultimately they came to realize that in Christ he really had changed. And it’s still happening! Because the grace of God is overwhelming and powerful, new hearts and spirits are created in God’s people every single day. Indeed, that’s the hope for all–we don’t have to continue as we have always been. We’re not stuck in some sort of genetic web that keeps us from changing. By the power and grace of God we can shed our old selves, put on the mind of Christ, and live loving lives.

Thought for the Day: Someone I know who has changed for good.

Psalm 51:1-10

“Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” vss. 9-10

Even though most people are acutely aware of their shortcomings they have different ways of referring to them. Some are comfortable with calling them sins, while others might call them personality defects, addictions, or mistakes. They are those words or actions that haunt us from the past and that continue to pop up in the present. Often the memories are accompanied by feelings of guilt. The psalmist was certainly aware of those sins and asked God to blot them out. His words resonate with our experience–it’s why we readily participate in confession rituals when they’re offered. But the psalmist was looking for more than forgiveness and so do we. It’s tiring and discouraging to just keep on dealing with that same old garbage year after year. What he really wanted was a new heart and a new spirit–and so do we, regularly echoing his words in our liturgies, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” Oh how we crave to be new creations! The good news is that God does exactly that through the Holy Spirit. As we live in Christ, in community with other sinners, renovation is taking place. Sins are forgiven, and our true image is restored. We are changed, and it’s the greatest gift any of us could ever receive!

Thought for the Day: How have I changed over the years?

Exodus 32:11-14

“And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.” vs. 14

The Israelites believed that their survival as a people had been dependent on great leaders like Moses who were able to even change the mind of the Lord. Their forefathers had deserved punishment for their disobedience but the Lord listened to Moses and spared them. It may seem strange for us to think of God as a being whose mind can be changed–we perhaps understand God in a very different way. But the story does remind us just how important mind-changing can be in the course of our journey. We grow up with all kinds of convictions about how life should be and initially our worlds are pretty black and white–but sooner or later we are going to be challenged. In those moments we can either stand by our old prejudices and allegiances, or we can change our minds. Those moments of decision will have a profound effect on our relationships–standing firm could mean the loss of a dear friend or family member. On the other hand, changing our minds opens doors to a new understanding of the world. And if, as our faith ancestors believed, the mind of God could be changed, then surely the same thing can happen for us. In fact, it’s only because people change their minds that the world itself can be changed for the better. Change is the core of repentance and our hope for the future.

Thought for the Day: When have I changed my mind?

Exodus 32:7-10

“The Lord said to Moses, “Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them…” vss. 7-8

Stories of rebellion and disobedience were deeply rooted in Israel’s traditions, and the scribes carefully included them as a part of the historical record. They told how quickly their ancestors had turned away from the way of the Lord and begun to worship other gods. It was just easier for them. Golden calves are visible and no one had ever seen the Lord that Moses wanted them to serve. It’s still that way! The gods that the people of our time have cast for themselves are tangible and appealing, and we love their tantalizing promises of money, sex, and power. They don’t require going to church and we’re free to follow all the desires of our flesh. We can forget about the poor, shove them aside, and freely indulge in every kind of pleasurable pursuit–and many do. Even those who have been nurtured in the teachings of Jesus are quick to abandon them when they come of age. An invisible deity just doesn’t carry much clout in a world of instant gratification. What folks don’t see is that the world of tangible gods is the land of slavery, and once we bow down to the sacred cows our beautiful freedom is lost. And even life becomes a burden. 

Thought for the Day: Where have I encountered sacred cows?

Luke 14:31-33

“So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.” vs. 33

When we take these words of Jesus literally, we are likely to dismiss them without much thought. We’re very aware of sectarian leaders who asked their followers to sign over all their property and then live together in community. Often they claimed that such a practice was a part of the call to discipleship and pointed to these words as a prooftext. While it’s proper for us to resist such manipulation, we do Jesus a disservice if we don’t take his point seriously. He’s right! Possessions can be a barrier to our spiritual well-being and can easily take over our lives. And it’s not only the rich who are affected. Hoarders can be found at every economic level and nearly all of us know the pain of giving things up or throwing things away. And the more tightly we hang on to our things, the less likely we are to ever experience the true freedom present in authentic discipleship. That’s why the downsizing that is often a part of our aging is such a blessing. We discover that getting rid of possessions is one of the keys to contentment–it’s just too bad that it takes so long for us to figure this out. Blessed are those who willingly give up their stuff, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! 

Thought for the Day: What possessions are most dear to me?

Luke 14:25-30

“Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.” vs. 26

There’s no doubt about it, sometimes the teachings of Jesus are baffling and we wonder what he could possibly have in mind. Here he tells the crowds that becoming his disciple is more important than the most intimate family relationships–it could even mean the loss of life. And he says it in the most dramatic way that he possibly could–his followers will need to hate everyone they’ve loved for all of their lives! That’s strong language! So what’s he up to?

Obviously he’s not telling them to stop loving their neighbor–in fact, he’s told them before to love even their enemies. Perhaps he’s saying that all those things that we often regard as being number one in our lives simply aren’t capable of holding that position. Parents, spouses, or children are not able to hold the center of our devotion for more than a few years–even life itself has a fragility about it. If we’re going to have a focus that will completely satisfy it can’t be a person that we love more than life itself. No person can be our God! But as we give up our focus on the family and take up the cross of Christ we catch a glimpse of the Divine and our lives begin to burst with joy and love–and even those from whom we are estranged can be blessed.

Thought for the Day: When have family connections failed me?