James 5:1-6 If We Don't Fix It, God Will

 

Observation: James, the brother of Jesus, is the head of the church in Jerusalem. Compared to many first-century churches in the Mediterranean world, the Jerusalem church is not wealthy. This probably colors James' approach to the wealthy, which is fairly harsh. "Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire." James accuses rich landowners of holding back wages from farm workers, which is expressly forbidden by the Torah (Leviticus 19:13). James' overall point is that riches are not forever, and when they're gone, if those with wealth don't do justice, God will. 

Application: Yesterday, for my cold, gloomy day off, I binge watched the series The White Lotus. With all the prerequisite warnings--that this show is on HBO, that it is for adults, and that even as an adult there were one or two scenes which had me reaching for the fast-forward button--overall it was excellent. The show is about a high-end Hawaiian resort, the guests who can afford to stay there, and the staff who are tasked with fulfilling their every desire. Jennifer Coolidge, known as a comedic actress, won a well-deserved Emmy as outstanding supporting actress for her role. She plays a wealthy single woman, in deep throes of an alcohol addiction and of grief for her mother, whose ashes she has decided to disperse in the sea. 

The relevant point here (there is one, I promise!) is that her wealth can not solve her problems, and in fact exacerbates most of them. Our culture, just like the culture in which James lived, has made an idol out of wealth, and created a system of sacrifice, and dare I say, worship, around those who have it. It's not healthy, it's not holy, and it's making us miserable--rich and poor alike. If we don't do the necessary work of justice, of caring for one another, for our families, for our communities, then eventually, God will. No matter how much we have or what we think it can do for us, we are dust, and to dust we shall return. What we take with us is not material wealth, but faith in God and love of our neighbor. 

Prayer: God, help me use what means I have to be a blessing for others. Help me use my voice, my education, my role in my community, as a voice for justice. In Jesus' name, Amen. 

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 Inauthentic vs. Authentically Interested

 

Observation: Paul writes about how he has become a "slave to all", even though he really believes himself to be free in Christ. The upshot of this is, he's able to adapt to and respect customs of both Jews and Gentiles, in order to build relationships and share his Gospel message with as many people as possible. I'm not sure if everyone is aware, nowhere in the New Testament does Saul permanently "change his name" to Paul when he begins following Jesus. Instead, the Book of Acts starts out calling him Saul, and later calls him Paul, because in the beginning of the narrative Saul (a common name among Jews) is interacting more with Jews than Gentiles, and when he is out preaching mostly to Gentiles, he goes by the more common Greco-Roman name Paul. Fun fact. 

Application: Quick Confession. I am not a huge fan of Christian media. Christian rock, Christian films, what have you, it's just not something I pay a lot of attention to in my downtime. As worship music, there are lots of songs I enjoy singing with a congregation, but it's not where I have the radio tuned seven days a week. The reason why, for me, is because in certain contexts it feels inauthentic. Not that I don't think these artists believe everything they're singing. It's just that some Christian music feels like it's not actually there to entertain you or make you think, the way other music is. It's there to drive home a message. Like, if we record a song that sounds enough like something else you like, that you keep the radio tuned there for a while, we'll "catch" you, and be able to give you the "Jesus pitch." You may disagree, but that's how I sometimes experience Christian rock outside of a worship setting. Unless it's done exceptionally well, it feels inauthentic. 

What I feel Paul means when he says he has become "all things to all people", is not inauthenticity. He wasn't pretending to be like people he's not really like. It's authentic interest in others. It's genuine curiosity and listening. It's not a "bait and switch" where he learns how to imitate others' customs and language, to give them a message they wouldn't otherwise want to hear. It's being his real self. Saul, from Tarsus, who went to Hebrew school, who remains a deeply committed Jew, who believes he has encountered the Messiah. And Paul, a citizen of the Roman Empire, who knows his Greek, his philosophy, his rhetoric, and genuinely appreciates the good aspects of the culture in which he lives (RATHER than trying to shelter himself or his listeners from it.)

Please, don't get me wrong. If you like Christian Rock and Christian movies, great. But if you're a believer in Christ, and it's not your cup of tea, don't waste your time and money. Be you. God likes that person. God has plans for that person. Really.

Prayer: God, thanks for making me who I am. Help me appreciate and listen to others. Help me listen to and build friendships with all kinds of people, for your sake. Amen.    

Jonah 3:1-10 Prepared For A Response

 

Observation: After God's "subtle hint" of abducting him by means of a giant fish, Jonah realizes he is not going to get out of prophesying to the people of Nineveh. He doesn't want them to listen. He wants God to give them what-for. Yet he still begrudgingly marches a day's walk into this city and crying out "Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" And something totally unexpected happens. They repent of their evil ways, in a big, dramatic fashion. This wasn't supposed to happen! What does Jonah do now that they've actually responded to him? 

Application: I have an embarrassing story to tell. As a committee chair for my son's Cub Scout pack, I gathered with other families to plan a "join night" event for our pack last night. We did all the prep we had time to do. We shared flyers with the students of his school; we shared events online; we told friends. But all of this was rather last-minute, and to be honest I was expecting a few inquiring families, but not much more. Instead, we were totally overwhelmed! We could hardly get the grill going before there were twenty kids requesting burgers! I ran out of craft supplies and had to ask my sons to step back and let newer kids give it a try! It was kind of a mess, and I felt really awkward for not believing that we actually had something good going on here that folks would want to know about. Hopefully they'll forgive us for not expecting such a big response. 

I guess that's not a spiritual story, but it does speak to an attitude I have to fight against in these times. In my calling as a pastor, I've gotten way too used to asking, "what will we do if nobody shows up?" and not at all accustomed to asking, "What if the response is totally overwhelming? What if God's Word really does what it promises to do, and people's hearts are moved? What if something shifts, and all of a sudden we're surrounded by people whose lives God has changed?" I don't want to be caught off guard, like Jonah was. If we are bold enough to spread the word, we should be prepared for big stuff to happen. 

Prayer: God, you exceed our expectations every day. Thank you. Help me be ready for the big things you will do. Amen.  

    

1 Timothy 4:6-16 Training in Godliness

 

Observation: The author gives Timothy, a young Christian pastor, advice on how to lead a church. Provide sound teaching to the community. Have nothing to do with "profane myths and old wives tales" (teaching that contradicts what he has already learned) and train himself for godliness the way an athlete trains for a physical challenge. 

Application: Today, I exercised on the elliptical machine for the first time in...a long time. Many months, to be honest. My kids got up obscenely early, and we dropped them off at the bus stop for their first day of school. We're getting our bodies and minds back into "the routine" that will be normal for a new school year. 

This season of transition is a good time to remember that "godliness," which I would define as spending time with Jesus and actively trying to follow him in daily life, is a skill that does not happen by accident. An athlete does not accidentally get up in the morning and run miles while others sleep. Neither does a disciple of Jesus make progress in a spiritual path. It's a series of little decisions, day by day, hour by hour. It's not always forward motion. There will be setbacks. But if we are expecting that our prayer life, our worldview, our acts of love and justice, our way of living, will just change on their own, without our opening up space in our lives everyday, we will be disappointed. 

Now is a good time to recommit. Let's get back to training. 

Prayer: Jesus, I am here for you today. Thanks for meeting me where I am. Amen.