Luke 14:12-14

“But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.” vs. 13

Jesus doesn’t seem to care if his host was offended by his parting remarks. In fact he’s oblivious to the social conventions that are so important in our world. When we interact with others, whether inviting folks over to our homes for a meal, or going out to eat with friends and acquaintances, most people are always keeping a record, either in their heads or on their calendars. There’s a certain equilibrium that requires keeping track of whose turn it is to be the host. But Jesus seems to be a fan of letting things get out of balance. He thinks it’s far better to invite people who have no way of returning the invitation. He wants us to connect with people out of the goodness of our hearts, and never worry about evening up the score. That’s hard to do! So much of our generosity is calculated and done with the expectation of return. How much better it is to seek out people who really need our kindness and help, and have no expectation that there is going to be a return on our investment! There are plenty of poor, crippled, lame, and blind in the world who need our care, and if our gifts to them aren’t paid back, it’s nothing to worry about. In our giving, God’s blessings will abound, and that’s what counts.

Thought for the Day: When do I play the “whose turn is it” game?

Luke 14:1, 7-11

“On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.” vs. 1

Jesus interacted with a variety of people and he often accepted dinner invitations from his opponents. On this occasion he was in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and Luke notes that they were watching him closely. They knew that he was unpredictable and that he was likely to violate some sabbath ordinance. What’s ironic is that as they were watching him, he was also observing how they were behaving. And in what he saw he was reminded of an old proverb about putting oneself forward in the presence of the king, and he told them a parable about choosing the place of honor at a wedding banquet. Of course he’s not just giving wedding reception etiquette here. What he said reflected his desire that his disciples be known for their humility. And as the centuries have passed, that’s exactly what they have done. All the great saints of the faith were humble to the core and avoided exultation whenever they could. It’s not easy to behave that way. Many believers struggle with being humble, because it feels so good to be exulted. We love it when someone singles us out for praise in the presence of others. Now sometimes to our chagrin, such things do happen, but woe to those who cultivate the praise of others. That’s just not the Jesus Way!

Thought for the Day: How do I feel when others are praised and I am not?

Hebrews 13:15-16

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” vs. 16

For generations the faith life of the Jewish people had revolved around the sacrificial system, and when some of them had become Christian there was a question about whether those sacrifices were still appropriate. Of course when the temple was destroyed by the Romans this became a moot point. But there was still within the people a sense that sacrifices should be a part of their worship. This writer indicates that it was entirely proper to offer God a continual sacrifice of praise that would be embodied in the fruits of our faith. That advice is summed up in his admonition to do good works and to share what we have. Essentially these two things sum up our life in Christ. We live not as individuals, but as part of the Body of Christ, and within that Body we will continually be looking to the needs of others. Those aren’t complicated instructions and they certainly don’t require an understanding of theology or doctrine. But we do know this: when believers dedicate themselves to the simple practice of doing good in their neighborhoods and communities, and are willing to share what they have with the needy, our whole society is blessed. These are the behaviours that change the world.

Thought for the Day: When did doing good become natural for me?

Hebrews 13:1-8

“Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’” vs. 5

As the writer to the Hebrews concludes his letter to the Jews who had become Christians, he has some  directions for how they shall live their lives. After mentioning the mutual love which binds them together he advises hospitality toward strangers, a concern for those in prison and puts in a word for faithfulness in marriage. And then he pens an admonition that seems directed at the 21st century. “Keep your lives free from the love of money,” he writes, and we are reminded that believers of every age have been bedeviled by the desire for more and more stuff in their lives. Oh that we could be content with what we have! It seems so basic, but it’s enormously difficult to pull off. Rare are those people who manage contentment in our luxury-loving world. Temptations come at us from every direction, from television and streaming services, on our personal devices and in the newspapers. Marketers have reached a high degree of sophistication, and all we have to do is think about something, and behold, we instantly get text messages and emails offering us unbeatable deals. And it’s hard to turn off the desires once they’ve been tweaked! The Shaker hymn nails it: “‘Tis a gift to be simple.” And what a blessing when we can pull it off.

Thought for the Day: What does contentment feel like?

Psalm 112:6-10

 “They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor; their righteousness endures forever; their horn is exalted in honour.” vs. 9

The psalmist is effusive in his praise of the righteous, those believers who walk in the way of obedience, and it’s interesting to see what attributes he holds up as deserving of special honor. He doesn’t mention a thing about their grand houses or estates, nor does he note their exploits on the battlefield. Instead he mentions that they are gracious and merciful, that they distribute freely and have given to the poor. These are exactly the same virtues that decorate the lives of those who are in Christ, and who have taken up residence in the Peaceable Kingdom. In this time and in this culture people who live like this are becoming a rarity. Instead we are deluged with the blogs and videos of influencers, those who realize that the new trend is to flaunt greed and revel in gilded homes and palatial estates. For those who have taken the teachings of Jesus to heart it’s hard to ignore the shenanigans of billionaires. Is it possible for those who are so wealthy to be so wrong about how to live? The psalmist would have no problem answering that question. They’re not only wrong, they’re dead wrong! Righteousness has nothing to do with net worth or gross earnings. It has everything to do with walking in the way of humility and peace.

Thought for the Day: Who are most likely to give to the poor?

Psalm 112:1-6

“It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice.” vs. 5

The psalmist tells us here that those who fear the Lord and who walk in the paths of righteousness will be blessed in a multitude of ways. We can say the same for those who live in Christ and who follow in the way of Jesus. The behavior is not intended to impress God or insure a seat on the Heavenly Express, but flows freely from the spiritual connection that they have with God. It’s standard procedure in the Peaceable Kingdom. It’s interesting that the psalmist mentions generosity as one of the marks of faithful living. For those of us who live in an age when out-of-control greed and ostentatious living has become a mark of success, it’s becoming increasingly rare to encounter people who give liberally and with no thought of return or gain. Fortunately our faith communities abound with such folks, and we see the signs of their generosity regularly. They understand that divine justice requires the sharing of material blessings. When that lifestyle becomes as natural as breathing we will be able to sing gladly that it is well with our souls. This is exactly how we’re supposed to live! That’s the life the psalmist admired so much…and it hasn’t changed in twenty-five hundred years.

Thought for the Day: When is generosity a struggle for me?

Proverbs 25:6-7

“Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great; for it is better to be told, ‘Come up here’, than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.” Proverbs 25:6-7

The book of Proverbs was one of the three books of Hebrew scripture that have been classified as Wisdom Literature. Its content varies but generally it includes a variety of pithy sayings and observations gleaned from various sources that give a practical guide to everyday living. Jesus often used this style of teaching in the course of his Galilean ministry. In fact these two verses found their way into his parable about guests vying for places of honor at a wedding banquet. He never wanted his disciples to forget that humility is one of the essential elements of faithful living. This proverb was his reminder that humiliation quickly follows our efforts at self-exultation. If we’re really interested in bringing the gospel to life for searchers, there is probably nothing more important than having a humble attitude both in our speech and in our behaviour. Our culture has had enough of pompous braggarts preening before the cameras and flaunting their exploits on social media. Admittedly, humility isn’t very marketable, and the truly humble often go unnoticed, but in the relationships that count, humility always wins the day.

Thought for the Day: What does humiliation feel like?

Luke 13:15-17

“When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.” vs. 17

Jesus hadn’t minced words when he corrected the leader of the synagogue and his cronies. He called them hypocrites, and the people responded with rejoicing. Not only were they happy to see the bent woman straightened, they were likely thrilled to see the religious leaders put in their place. There’s nothing like hypocritical piety to rankle the feelings of the faithful, especially when the offenders are masquerading as leaders. Jesus had warned against practicing one’s piety before others, in order to be seen by them, and this was a case in point. We still don’t like those kinds of “holier-than-thou” attitudes in our faith communities, and when pastors and preachers are the offenders, it can get pretty ugly. It happens when leaders are tempted to tap into the perceived power of their position in their efforts to lead. Jesus taught that leaders are called to bring healing to the broken, and to adopt a servant attitude in their leading–and he wasn’t afraid to put them in their place! Sometimes we wonder whose responsibility it is to shine light on hypocrisy. Not many like to take the risk of confrontation! But sometimes, for the health of the community it has to be done. Blessed are those who have a heart for the task!

Thought for the Day: When might I call someone a hypocrite?

Luke 13:10-14

“Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight.” vss. 10-11

When Jesus saw the bent woman in the synagogue crowd as he was teaching on the sabbath, he couldn’t contain himself. Even though he knew there was a law against healing on the sabbath, he called her over, laid hands on her and told her to straighten up. And she did! And the leader of the synagogue was indignant! Jesus should have told the woman to make an appointment for another day. We can’t be too upset with the man–in his world the law was sacred, and his job was to protect it from even the slightest infractions. If offenses were permitted, then it wouldn’t be long before the whole legal system would be in jeopardy. Soon people would be making their own decisions about right and wrong and there would be chaos. But Jesus was operating by a different code, one that valued compassion and kindness about all else. It’s important to remember this when we are the ones getting bent out of shape by the careless behavior of others. Sometimes those things that we hold so dear aren’t nearly so important as we think they are. And if our judgments are keeping us from loving the hurting, perhaps we need to take another look at Jesus.

Thought for the Day: What kind of things get me bent out of shape?

Hebrews 12:25-29

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe;” vs. 28

The writer of Hebrews goes to great pains to make connections for his readers between what happened in Jesus and the stories of God’s interactions with Israel. Because most of us have rather sketchy knowledge of the Old Testament passages he makes reference to, some parts of Hebrews are hard to decipher. In this section the writer is making connections between the shaking of Mount Sinai and the much anticipated quaking that is to come as a part of the last days. While we probably don’t even think like this anymore, there is a word of promise here that is worth hanging on to. Those who are in Christ, those who dwell in the peaceable kingdom, have nothing to fear. Our future is secure! And because we have that hope, all that is expected of us is deep thanksgiving, which will obviously include heartfelt worship and praise. Sometimes we might wonder why we should go to church, because there are times when it seems boring or inconvenient.  But the early Christians don’t seem to have wondered why. For them it was the very best way to offer God thanks for a beautiful and a guaranteed future! And so it is for us! Even in those times when it doesn’t seem very likely.

Thought for the Way: Is my future shaky or secure?