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?

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?