Living in the Spirit
September 7, 2015

Scripture Reading: Proverbs 1:20-33

Wisdom cries out in the street;
   in the squares she raises her voice.
At the busiest corner she cries out;
   at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
‘How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
   and fools hate knowledge? –Proverbs 1:20-22

I’ll admit I am a news junkie, but I am wearing pretty thin on what even the major stations are broadcasting. Apparently, the morning show, I normally watch, is planning to have each presidential candidate come on the show and share their ideas, which is a good thing, right. One candidate did appear recently and his four or five minute segment was spent primarily challenging him to say something about another candidate whose antics are all we hear about in the news. Most of the reporting about other candidates is a travel log where they are speaking, not what they are saying. When we do hear about what they are saying, it is normally quotes about the controversial issue of the day not their plans for our country. I have to assume the news programs are doing this because it helps their ratings and if that is true then that is on us. We need to demand substance.

Sorry about the rant, but when I read our scripture for today, it seemed to be describing our political system. We make big deals out of issues that have little if any impact on most of the country while our economic system is upside down, our infrastructure is falling apart, and who has a clue about what to do regarding Syria and ISIS. We are a house divided and we all know what happens to houses divided.

Jesus Christ called us to be one, to love one another, which I believe requires us to work diligently toward the Common Good, not tear it apart so that I can have what I want at your expense. The Body of Christ needs to set the example of such oneness not be the source of the division.

Prayer: Lord forgive us for making you a pawn in our political games. Give us a new song to sing your oneness throughout this land. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.