Proverbs 22:2-7 Conventional Wisdom

Observation: the first thing I notice is that these sayings are not all directly related. They talk about avoiding danger, pursuing prosperity, even parenting. But if there's a unifying thread, it's that our own actions and attitudes contribute to how our lives will turn out. Common sense, you might say.

Application: I'm drawn to verse 6, "Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray." I often find myself in conversations with my kids that mirror the Proverbs. Being cautious, humble, and willing to take responsibility for themselves is  something most people want for their kids. This is all helpful advice. But it doesn't necessarily take into account the curve balls life throws at us. Proverbs is conventional wisdom, which probably works on most days. But when bad things happen to my kids, seemingly out of nowhere, I want to lay a deeper foundation. That's where verse 2 comes in, "the rich and poor have this in common, the Lord made them both." Underneath all the hard work, responsible time management, caution of danger, 'grit', and the rest of characteristics we want our kids to develop, there needs to be a foundation: they know no matter what, they are loved. And so is everyone they meet, rich or poor. Our life decisions may play into our life outcomes. But they'll never change that we are worthy of God's love. That's what I want my kids to know, at the end of the day.

Prayer: God, I pray for all kids and young people. May they learn about responsibility, about managing their priorities, their days and their lives. But right or wrong, may they also know your love for them. Amen.

Psalm 113 "Who Is Like God?" (WARNING: contains spoilers)

Observation: This simple, beautiful praise song lifts my heart on a Friday morning. At the end of a long week, with so much tragedy and fear in the world, it feels good to just know that God is good and to praise God. The psalm asks a common rhetorical question in the Bible, "Who is like the Lord our God?". The answer: nobody! Why? Because not only does God sit "higher" than any other--in knowledge, power, authority, influence, just to name a few--but crucially, God uses God's "highness" to lift up the lowest. The poor and needy, those experiencing infertility in a fertility-obsessed society, these are God's concern. God is uniquely  worthy of praise not just because God is powerful, but because of how God uses power.

Application: Okay, I'm going to just say the word this brings to mind. Privilege. I know it's a word that's been getting a lot of attention lately, and not everyone agrees what it looks like. But I know, as a white, straight, English-speaking guy with a family, I have experienced it. It doesn't mean my life is easy, but it means that my race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and family status are not factors that make it harder. I did nothing "right" to earn this, just as nobody who doesn't have my same characteristics did anything "wrong" to not have them. It's just a reality. And I benefit from it.

So, I bring this up because of my faith. Because my faith says that God has more privilege and power than anybody, and God uses it to lift up those with less. In fact, my faith says that's what makes God unique. Nobody is like God, because pretty much everyone else takes full advantage of their power and privilege, to possibly get more. That's standard. God isn't. My faith says that's why I should praise God: The One on High who lifts up the lowly to sit with princes. Who is like God? Nobody.

But I guess if I acknowledge that God is good and worthy of praise, it makes sense to try and act a bit more like God in my daily life...right?

Prayer: God I praise you, because you sit on high but lift up the lowly. I praise you for your kindness and compassion, because you use your power to empower. Help me be like you. Amen.

Romans 3:1-8 Let God be Proved True

Observation: Paul's letters can be very hard to follow, especially in small chunks out of context. But in this short selection, Paul is reflecting on how some of his fellow Jews have not been faithful to God. He says "although everyone is a liar, let God be proved true." If human behavior is the only indicator of what God is like, then we're in a lot of trouble.

Application: The fact is, the biggest thing driving people away from religious faith is the behavior of religious people. I can make speeches all day long about how the church is an imperfect place full of flawed human beings. I can make the argument that there are hypocrites everywhere, not just here. I can talk with perfectly sound reasoning and logic, telling you that how churches treat people really has no bearing on whether the tomb is empty. But frankly, that won't convince someone who's been hurt.

Some of the most powerful evangelists I know are people who have fallen in love with Jesus despite the Church, rather than because of it. Who have the strength to claim space even when the Church makes it difficult.  These are folks whose faith moves mountains. These are the leaders we need. But they are rare.  And because of that...Jesus just wants us to be better. Not perfect (as if we ever could!) but better. Not "works righteous" or self righteous, but a little more cognizant of the massive debt of sin and harm that was forgiven us on the cross...and maybe willing to let go of some debts and grudges of our own. Some folks will still be hurt by the Church--it is full of humans after all--but maybe with a touch of grace, we can give the Holy Spirit more to work with.

Prayer: God, change us with your grace. Remind us we were debtors, so we may forgive the debts of others. Amen. 

Jonah 3:1-10 We Do Not Manufacture Faith.

Observation: We went through Jonah a few weeks ago in Bible study, and I was reminded: Jonah is hands down the worst prophet ever. It's comical how bad at it he is. To not just refuse God's call, but book passage to the opposite side of the known world to avoid it? Bold move. And even after God nearly sinks his ship, and sends a fish to swallow him and spit him back on land after he jumps overboard (presumably to his death?), Jonah still does not get it. He shuffles through the streets of Nineveh--a town he genuinely does not want God to save--and mumbles this cryptic, not-that-convincing oracle: "Forty days more and Nineveh will be overthrown." And sure enough, despite Jonah's best efforts, his message spreads like wildfire and the whole city repents. Who knew?

Application: A message I need to repeat to myself sometimes is, "You can't manufacture faith for others. You can only be faithful to God right now."
Faith is a gift from the Holy Spirit. It doesn't come in a kit you can order online,  and it can't be whipped up out of nothing no matter how good your preaching or worship music is. Faith. Comes. From. God. Period. If God can turn a whole foreign civilization to repentance using a grumpy, begrudging prophet who doesn't even bother to drop God's name, then maybe God can also do something with the best of my efforts for today. And despite my oblivious nature at times, God can also create some faith in me.

Prayer: God, if you made the world from nothing, I know you can make faith out of the tangled web of thoughts, feelings and conflicted loyalties in my heart. I believe. Help my unbelief. Amen.  

1 Timothy 1:1-11 The Aim of Instruction is Love

Observation: Paul opens his letter to Timothy, his protégé, by urging him to remain in Ephesus to teach sound Christian doctrine, and to combat some off-the-wall claims and teachings of less experienced teachers. Paul says "The aim of  [good] instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith."

Application: I had a really fruitful, enlightening discussion on Facebook a few weeks back (yes, I'm as surprised as you are!) about the role of higher education in our society. With the recent refocusing on trade schools as a viable option for young adults who don't feel called to attend college, there's been more discussion on the "return on investment" for higher education. Is the degree worth the money, especially if you're not assured of a job to pay down your debts? Is a degree still a "ticket to success", and how do we define success anyway?

When I read Paul's words to Timothy about the purpose of Christian teaching, I realize his standards of success are quite different. Christians don't just learn in order to earn. We don't drop our kids off at Sunday school hoping they'll be more hardworking,  more efficient employees or better citizens. We teach our faith to build up love. Knowing God's story, and our place in it, reminds us every day that we are not alone: we are loved and treasured by the creator of the universe. That helps us love others. That's the goal. If Christian teachers do our jobs right, learners may not have better jobs or bigger houses, but they'll know how to be grateful for them, to use them for the benefit of others, and they'll know who to turn to if they should lose them.

Prayer: God, redefine success for me, for my family, and for our society. Help us look up to those who love. Amen.

2 Kings 18:9-18 Selling Off The Family China Set

Observation: The Assyrian army has conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Now Hezekiah, King of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, offers the Assyrian king a fortune in silver and gold to stop an imminent invasion of Jerusalem, the capital. Not only does the king empty out his own house treasury, but he empties the Temple treasury, and even strips the Temple doors of the gold he himself had had overlaid. Desperate times call for desperate measures. This to me seems like the ancient equivalent of "pawning the family China set."

Application: in our garage, we have a very well protected box marked, "mother's good China." I believe it was an inheritance from my wife's grandmother. Frankly, with four kids in the house and few high profile dinner guests, we've never used it, but there it sits, safe and sound.

I'm interested in this phenomenon of the "family China set", the nice dishes you only ever got out once a year or so, because they were precious, and especially during the Depression era, they may have been more useful in a pinch than a savings account, which might be "here today, gone tomorrow." But once it's sold off, it's gone for good.

I think there are spiritual treasures like that, handed down over the generations, that maybe get less use than they should, but are there if we need them... unless we decide to sell them off in a time of need. To me, one of the most important is our concept of "The Gospel":  God's story  is fundamentally Good News, not about what we should do but what God has already done for us.

Our sense of Gospel is like the family China set: it's not the meal itself (Only God's Word can sustain us) but it's an essential container, a way of holding God's Word, that we don't use nearly often enough. And though times may get desperate, just as they did for Hezekiah, we need to make sure we don't sell off these ideas too cheaply--or at all.

What do you think? What are some other Christian values or concepts that we dare not sell off?

Prayer: God, when desperate times call for desperate measures, remind us of our treasures from you...and deliver us. Amen. 

2 Kings 17:24-41 God Plus Extras

Observation: The King of Assyria, after conquering Samaria (in modern times, Northern Israel) moves in people from various nations in his Empire to live there. These new citizens set up idols and temples to their home gods. Even after missionary priests try to convince them to practice only the faith of Israel, honoring only Yahweh, they simply add elements of Yahweh worship to their old beliefs. This mixing and matching is what theologians call "syncretism," and it's usually derided as a bad thing.

Application: The funny thing about syncretism is it's very easy to see in other cultures but very hard to see in your own.

Sure, we can read critically about these multicultural Samaritan towns that compromised their original faith. And we may look with suspicion at more modern examples of the "mix and match" spirituality we see folks piecing together...some yoga here, some meditation there, some of the less challenging sayings of Jesus to spice it up, and you're good...

But before we rush to judgment, especially if we think of ourselves as "traditional" Christians, we need to ask whether there isn't just a whiff of syncretism in the faith we grew up in.

Do we really think that the term "inalienable rights" is in the Bible? It isn't. That's the Declaration of Independence.

Do we think that God has any special feelings of love for Americans? For our Constitution?  For our specific culture, our specific way of governing, our specific economic model, our specific attitude toward hard work, self-determination, and freedom? Our favorite genres of music? Our language?

Do we have something in the back of our minds telling us maybe God, while trying to be all-loving, maybe just slightly prefers these ways of being to the way other cultures are? I'll admit, when I'm not thinking, I catch myself going there in the back of my mind. And that, my friends, is syncretism. It's a violation of the first commandment. It's adding a little "extra" from our personal cultural standpoint, to who God is. And it isn't okay. Let's repent together.

Prayer: God, smash my inner idols. Help me see you not only in my own ways, but in the ways of others radically different from me, who also reflect your image. Amen. 

Colossians 4:7-17 Always Wrestling in Prayer

Observation: Paul typically closes his letters with greetings back and forth, from people he has seen in his journeys, and to people he knows will read or hear his letters at their destination. That's typical of letters even today--"everyone says hi, hope things are going well with Grandma, etc."--but one greeting to the church in Colossae that stands out is from Epaphras. Epaphras is believed to be the church's founder, but he is apparently away from town. Paul writes that Epaphras "is always wrestling in his prayers on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in everything that God wills." 

Application: This stood out to me, I think, because I, too, have been wrestling with prayer. It's a lifelong journey, getting my head around what it is, what it does, what it doesn't do, and most importantly how to incorporate it into my daily life and walk with God. I don't expect to get it all figured out anytime soon. 

What I like about Paul's image of Epaphras "always wrestling in his prayers" is this reminder that prayer is not a peaceful, passive, sedentary activity. Whether you do it standing or sitting, driving, jogging, showering, kayaking or journaling, prayer is a spiritual workout. It forces us to come face to face with our own values and beliefs, and our relationship with God. Much like the wrestlers featured in the Netflix series "GLOW" (not for kids, but a great comedic drama for adults), when we wrestle with prayer, it's a discipline that we don't learn overnight. We get better with practice. It's also a full contact sport that can end up pulling our whole lives into the struggle. And in the seasons of our lives when we are fully engaged in it, we never really mentally leave the ring. It's an ongoing wrestling match with God, with ourselves, and with this hurting world that needs grace, forgiveness, healing and justice. 

The particular prayer that Epaphras wrestles with--that his church "may stand mature and fully assured in everything that God wills"--is a pretty daunting one. The more mature in our faith we get, the more we realize we don't know. The more we grow, the smaller we feel. But really, what he's praying about is that his church would also become prayer wrestlers. And that's a prayer I'll take into the ring any day: for myself and for my church. 

Prayer: God, lead us into the ring. Make us prayer wrestlers. Draw us into full contact with you. Don't leave us unchanged. Help us do the work, and grow, for the sake of the world which needs our prayers and your presence. Amen.     

Genesis 39:1-23 Who We Really Are (CW: Sexual Harassment/Assault)

Observation: Sold by his own brothers into slavery in Egypt, Joseph endures daily sexual harassment from the wife of his master, Potiphar. After repeatedly refusing to sleep with her, she accuses him of trying to rape her, causing Joseph to be thrown into prison.

Application: You know, people are just the worst sometimes. It can be disheartening. I warn people who want to read the Bible like any other book, starting with Genesis: if you do that, you're going to start out learning a lot more about humankind than you will about God, and you're not going to like it. Genesis features chapter after chapter of people acting cruel, violent, selfish, dishonest, short-sighted and all-around awful. And lest we forget, two thirds of the book centers on Abraham's family, God's chosen people!

I hate that this happened to Joseph. I hate that it rings so true to human behavior, even though thankfully I've never lived through anything similar.
I hate how people misuse power, and how stories like this--of a faked sexual assault--are far too often used today to discredit the scores of genuine cases of sexual assault, many of which go unreported for this very reason.

Mostly I just hate that humans are like this: created in God's image but still capable of such evil. I hate that I see little traces of myself in these characters. But it's part of the unpleasant task of scripture to talk about humans, not as heroes of moral virtue, but as the real, messed-up, self-centred creatures we are. If Genesis pulled punches, we might not remember how deeply we need God.

Prayer: God, I need you every day. And even with you, I make bad choices all the time. Forgive me. Forgive us. Save us, and help us trust in your grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Luke 14: 15-24 Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Background Noise

Observation: It's kind of a strange story. A person throws a big dinner, and has already invited the guests, but nobody who's been invited comes. If you think that's rude today, it was even worse in Jesus' time. The host would have every right to be deeply offended. So the host sends out not one, but two delegations of servants out to bring in those who would normally never get a dinner invitation: the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.

Application: In Jesus' own time this parable was his judgement on the religious elites. Because they had not listened to God's voice, through Jesus' ministry, God was reaching out to those who would, regardless of social status.

Today, I hear this parable pointed squarely at me. I'm a white, straight, male, middle-class Protestant who grew up in the suburbs. That didn't guarantee me an easy life, but it did ensure some things would be easier. Because faith in Jesus was a given in my house, and because I experienced grace frequently in the world, it could easily become background noise in my life, rather than the central melody by which I live. If anyone is likely to say "been there done that, thanks but no thanks" to the heavenly banquet, it's someone like me. Grace will still be there when I die, right? But in the meantime, folks  for whom life has been harder, who have never heard of grace, who have only ever been on the outside looking in for this or any feast, are going hungry. And there are a whole lot of empty seats. That's on us. That's on me.

Prayer: God, let grace be a surprise. Let it shock me into action. Let it send me into the highways and byways, where you wait for me. Amen.

Titus 1:1-9 Setting a High Bar

"⁵I left you behind in Crete for this reason, so that you should put in order what remained to be done, and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you: ⁶someone who is blameless, married only once, whose children are believers, not accused of debauchery and not rebellious. ⁷For a bishop, as God's steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain; ⁸but he must be hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent, upright, devout, and self-controlled. ⁹He must have a firm grasp of the word that is trustworthy in accordance with the teaching, so that he may be able both to preach with sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it."

Observation: Paul is writing to Titus, his associate in Crete, whom he has tasked with appointing leaders for the church in nearby towns. Paul's standards for conduct for elders and bishops are very, very high. 

Application: When I read words like "blameless," "prudent, upright, devout and self-controlled," it's intimidating. The sobering truth is that, especially in today's culture, it can take hundreds of good interactions with a Christian leader to counter one bad impression in a person's mind. And because the church itself has been guilty of routinely and systematically covering up abuse and protecting abusers, I know my honor and the honor of all Christ-believers, and to some extent even Christ himself, is on the line when I go to work each morning. It's a lot sometimes.

But today, on the first day of school, as I rose early, dropped my kids at the bus stop, and got started on a brand new hopeful routine, I am reminded: yes, God's standards are high, but God's mercy is new every morning. I will continue to hold myself and other leaders to high standards. But knowing that, in a hundred small ways, we will fall short each day, I hope to also embody the grace we get from God. I don't want to just be known as "devout and self-controlled." I also want to be known as a person who gets God's grace, and will freely announce it to my fellow imperfect people. 

Prayer: God, help me do this one day at a time. Keep watch over my mind, my mouth, my hands and feet. Let me be a good ambassador for you. Amen.