Danger, danger!

Proverbs 27:1-6, 10-12

To be honest I’m not at all sure what to do with this verse from Proverbs: “The clever see danger and hide; but the simple go on, and suffer for it” (Proverbs 27:12). Are we to understand that godly, devout people who happen to be intelligent are encouraged to duck and cover when the going gets tough? Is that really what is going on here? Or is there another way to read this?

In his Interpretation series commentary on Proverbs Leo G. Perdue offers only a bit of insight. “Verse 12 is an antithetical saying,” he writes, “that contrasts the clever who see danger and hide with the simpleton who does not and thus suffers for it” (p. 227). With all apologies to Dr. Perdue that really doesn’t help much. Jesus was, by all accounts, extremely bright and yet according to the gospels he was willing to face his own death and “go on, and suffer for it.” Likewise countless people of faith from over the centuries have willingly confronted danger in the name of God and for the sake of justice and righteousness. In our own age we are reminded of people of great courage like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King, Jr. who, in faith, faced trials and tribulations for the glory of God.

Now, I’ll readily agree that we “shouldn’t go courting trouble.” But perhaps one aspect of God’s grace is that it allows us to live a “simple” life of faith, one that allows us to face danger, even to suffer and die, in order to help others and to give glory to God. If that is what Proverbs 27:12 is all about then may God give me the simplicity to “go on, and suffer for it,” because I really don’t think that people of faith are supposed to run for cover during times of challenge.

Prayer: Lord God, give us the courage to live as your people no matter what the circumstances may be. In the name of the one who accepted his death for the sake of the world. Amen.

NOTE: Beginning on February 25, I will be including blog posts each Saturday written by "guest bloggers" who will offer their insights on the readings for that particular day. I deeply appreciate the willingness of these folks to share their time and talents with us. Be sure to stop by on upcoming Saturdays to see what they have to say.

What Love

1 John 3:1-10

“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are” (1 John 3:1). What a great message to receive! God loves us enough to claim us, not just as a part of creation or even as servants, but God loves us with the love a caring parent has for a child. And that is what we are, children of God. What we receive from our Creator is divine involvement in our lives, sustenance for the journey, light for the darkness, hope for the crisis, encouragement for the challenge, shelter from the storm, and so much more.

Our world has a great many definitions for love. Too often it has come to be associated with lust or desire, overshadowed by the need to control one another, seen as a sort of narcotic. But the love that God has for us is a self-giving love, one that seeks what is best for us and what is best from us. Imagine Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians 13 set alongside those from 1 John. We are God’s children and so we experience God’s love as patient and kind, not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. We discover that God’s love bears all things. We are assured that God’s love never ends.

No, we are not specs of cosmic dust or grains of sand on some universal beach. Not in God’s eyes. We are loved, and that is the greatest news of all.

Prayer: Lord God, we cannot fully understand your love for us, but help us to embrace it and to share it with others that all may know you as a gracious parent. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

No Lie

1 John 2:18-29

Ignorance of the law is no excuse. How many times have you heard that expression? It is the responsibility of citizens to know what is expected of them and to live up to those expectations. Just to say you weren’t aware a certain prohibition existed does not absolve you from guilt any more than saying, “I didn’t know,” necessarily saves a child from getting into trouble. We should make it our business to learn what rules apply to our day to day lives.

In a manner of speaking, ignorance of the gospel is no excuse either. Take today’s reading from 1 John for example. “I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and you know that no lie comes from the truth” (1 John 2:21). There is no way that the readers of this letter can claim ignorance. They are aware of the circumstances they face, of the importance of the hour. Events are afoot that could cause turmoil for the Christian community. John’s readers should reflect on what they have already come to know and allow that knowledge to guide them in difficult times. “You know what I’m talking about,” John is saying, “and you cannot allow yourselves to be swayed by something other than this truth.”

We should take note of John’s exhortation ourselves. As we seek to live in faith we should be guided by what we know to be true and how that truth allows for no falsehood. This doesn’t make a life of faith any easier, but it does underscore the need for careful attention. As situations arise our responses should come from what we know to be true, primarily that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Prayer: Gracious God, help us to live the truth of your love in all that we do. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Real Voice

John 10:1-18

In our gospel reading for today Jesus uses the image of the good shepherd when discussing his identity with the crowds. "'When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them,' Jesus says, 'and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.' Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them" (John 10:4-6). What an interesting bit of comparison. Jesus explains that the people of God will recognize the Son of God the way that sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd. But the crowds to whom Jesus is speaking don't understand. In other words Jesus' voice is unfamiliar to them. It borders on comedy as Jesus tries more than once to explain the parable to his listeners... and they still don't get it.

There is much that we could make of this but my question today has to do with listening and recognizing. Jesus' audience may have thought they were paying attention to him, but in truth they were not. And how could they recognize his voice if they weren't willing to really listen? Then again, how can we fully appreciate the word of God in our own lives if we are not willing to listen? We may believe that we are paying attention, but are we? Or do we let the sounds of our sinful inclination draw our attention away from God? When the good shepherd speaks are we ready to follow, or are we left scratching our heads in confusion?

The good news is that there is a shepherd, and there is a word from the Lord. We still have the opportunity to listen to what God is saying, and the more we listen the more attuned to God's will we become. Like any other skill listening takes practice and it takes patience. But if we are to be who God has called us to be we need to open our ears. How else will we recognize the right voice?

Prayer: God of love and mercy, continue to speak to us so that we may hear and understand. In the name of Jesus the good shepherd. Amen.

When Familiarity Breeds Blindness

John 9:18-41

"Jesus said, 'I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind'" (John 9:39). Most of us are used to such sayings by now. We've read words like these from Jesus any number of times. We have heard (or preached) countless sermons on the subject. We know that Jesus has come to turn things upside down. The gospels use different terms for expressing the same phenomenon. For instance in Luke Mary offers thanks to God for feeding the hungry and sending the rich away without food (Luke 1:46-55). This is old news for us, right?

But we need to be careful. Once we get to the point where "we've heard it all before" we may have become the ones who think they see but who have actually become blind. Resisting the power of the gospel is akin to ignoring it all together. We may think we have it all figured out when in fact we keep missing the point. For example, I have eaten a lot of meals in my life, but I don't let that stop me from having lunch or dinner one more time. In fact there are are a number of dishes that I like so much that I eat them over and over again. We must treat Jesus' words–and the teachings of scripture as a whole–the same way, returning to them again and again for what they have to say to us and the nourishment they offer.

Jesus came into the world bringing a radically new perspective and a completely new understanding of God. The truth of Jesus' words has not been exhausted, nor have we managed to fully comprehend their meaning. We need to keep trying. We need to live like those who are blind to the full truth, but who are striving to see.

Prayer: Gracious God, help us to hear and see you word anew each time we are encountered by it. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Divided By Jesus

John 9:1-17

The idea that Jesus would heal on the sabbath day caused quite a stir among the religious establishment. "Some of the Pharisees said, 'This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.' But others said, 'How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?' And they were divided" (John 9:16). Normally, of course, we like to think of Jesus as the healer that he was, not in terms of the controversies he could cause. But John makes it impossible to ignore: there have always been those who would rather quibble over who Jesus really is than to simply accept the grace he offers. To this very day Jesus remains at the center of much debate even among those who profess faith in him as the Word of God incarnate.

A close look at the contemporary church reveals splits, schisms, divisions, denominations sometimes caused by the most obscure of theological issues. Even matters of some general acceptance can cause fraction. What is the "proper" way by which to administer the sacrament of baptism? Who is qualified to proclaim the good news in an "official" capacity? Is it appropriate to use musical instruments in Christian worship? And if so, which ones? Keep in mind that baptism, proclamation, and worship are shared by all Christians and are considered to be positive and affirming activities. And yet over and over again these very concepts send people of faith running to the trenches for more of what has become a protracted battle. It is truly a shame that the one who healed the blind, fed the hungry, welcomed the outcast, and pointed the way to God's coming reign should so often be overshadowed by conflict.

Personally, I look forward to the day when all people will come to know the truth of God's love as revealed in Jesus Christ. But until then I pray that our brokenness may be healed and our focus be restored.

Prayer: Gracious God, forgive the way your people squander the gospel with which we have been entrusted. Restore our unity and guide our living. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Ouch!

John 8:33-47

The words of Jesus that we find in our gospel reading today make for what we could call a stinging rebuke of Jesus’ listeners. “Why do you not understand what I say?” Jesus asks. “It is because you cannot accept my word. You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me” (John 8:43-45). This is from the same man of whom it was said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (3:16). How do we deal with such harsh words and the apparent contradiction?

The key to understanding these passages is faith. In what do we believe? To whom do we listen? By what message are we guided in our living? Jesus leaves no room for ambiguity. In a manner of speaking it is all or nothing. Either we seek God and what God is doing in our midst, or we fall into the snare of evil to be overcome by lies and deceit. Jesus is the focal point of God’s work and in Jesus all come to know God and God’s love. Anything else is suspect.

There is an important point to add, however. The words of condemnation in this passage are spoken by Jesus alone and it is to Jesus that such judgment belongs. Too often the church has taken upon itself the role of condemning others for any number of reasons while not allowing God’s will to unfold. And this is where we must return to the words of John 3:16. God loves the world. God calls to the world. God undertakes suffering for the world in the person of Jesus. We who would live according to God’s will must do the same. We must offer witness to what we believe and trust in God to work through us, often in ways that we do not expect or cannot understand. The judgment of God is balanced by the love and grace of God. As people of faith we must be aware of our own shortcomings while seeking to share the grace we have received.

Prayer: God, make us messengers of your love to the world even as we seek to focus our lives on your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.