Living in the Spirit
October 22, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 18:9-14

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.” –Luke 18:9-12

There is no place for God when we are full of ourselves. Paradoxically being full of ourselves leaves us empty. There seems to be a lot of empty souls these days. Is the church, the called Body of Christ, missing the mark on bringing wholeness to a broken world? Have we gotten so caught up in being right that we are wronging the ones we are commissioned to serve? Is the Pharisee’s need to exclaim his righteousness merely a cry for help in filling his emptiness?

If nothing else comes out of our divisive election cycle this year, the church’s need to model oneness must be recognized and reignited. Diversity and divisiveness do not share the same meaning. I can never fully understand you, and you can never fully understand me. As we encounter the full spectrum of humanity throughout our universe, we can choose to be blessed by learning and growing together through our differences or we can curse ourselves to flounder in emptiness through isolation, bigotry, and privilege. Make no mistake it is a choice.

I strongly encourage everyone to vote on November 8. Prayerfully study the candidates and issues and express your sense of what is best for attaining the Common Good at all levels of our governments. On November 9, dedicate yourself first to praying for the Body of Christ being a conduit for oneness in a diverse world. Second work with all your heart to make oneness a reality. If you want, you can start praying today for the Oneness of God and never stop until we attain it with God’s help.

Prayer: Lord, make us whole make us one. 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.