Author Archives: WOJ@deborahsdescendants.com

What Constitutes Family?

Living in the Spirit

July 9, 2021

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

If my mother, the great egalitarian, made something for one in a group, she did the same for all. Thus, each of her grandchildren has one of her handmade Afghans and quilts. That is also true of her children. Since there are only three children and seven grandchildren, how does the next generation pass down what our ancestors gave us? My house is full. I am not a hoarder. I have no problem throwing stuff away, but I have lived in the same place for over 40 years, and all my closets and draws are full of things I no longer need or use. Thus, I deal with many things by donating them to charities or tossing them in the trash. What do you do with grandma’s quilts? How do you pick who gets them?

I was discussing this recently among the family as we talked about who might want something I had, would females desire some items more than males, and should age be a factor in determining who gets first pick? The question of adoption came up as criteria as I have both adopted children and stepchildren among my next-generation family members. I was considering taking it all to the charities because I did not want to cause a family feud or force something on someone who was not interested in it. These people are carefully arranged on my family tree even though they are not marked as sharing my DNA. My DNA profile has been upgraded twice as the science of studying it has expanded. However, the knowledge that we are all made in God’s image has never changed and answers what constitutes the family of God?

Paul, too, did not want to cause a family feud. The segment of Ephesians above is trying to answer the question. What constitutes a family? In the family of God, all people are members of God’s family, if they choose to be. Some in Ephesus had known God throughout their lives. Others had only recently been introduced to God. With a diversity of backgrounds, these people, us too, are called to be one. Only God’s abiding love can make that happen if we share God’s vision that our oneness is key to the successful functioning of God’s kingdom.

Prayer: Lord, cleanse us of the need to create hierarchies of sharing the blessings of knowing you and being loved by you. Make us lovers of souls just as you are. 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Loving Others is Loving God

Living in the Spirit

July 8, 2021

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

I write about free will a lot because It is fundamental to understanding our relationship with God. The gift of free will often gets us into trouble when we do not make good choices, but it also establishes God’s will in our relationship with the Lord, the best way out of trouble. God wants us to choose to love God. Thus, the Lord also wants us to choose to love one another. Think about it do we really love anything we are required to love? For self-preservation, protection, or to please the world, we might go through the motions of doing the things humans attribute to love, but selfishness is not a component of love.  Now might be a good time to read 1 Corinthians 13. Here is the part that describes love in verses 4-7, Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

The most significant expression of our love of God is how well we love one another. Unfortunately, while we claim to love God, our love of others seems sorely missing in our world today. The time is now for us to change that and live God’s love with God’s help.

Prayer: Lord, make us aware of the many ways we can love one another in everything we do. 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved

Worship

Living in the Spirit

July 7, 2021

Scripture Reading: Psalm 24

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it,
   the world, and those who live in it;
for he has founded it on the seas,
   and established it on the rivers.

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
   And who shall stand in his holy place?
Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
   who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
   and do not swear deceitfully.
They will receive blessing from the Lord,
   and vindication from the God of their salvation.
Such is the company of those who seek him,
   who seek the face of the God of Jacob. –Psalm 24:1-6

The above is part of a song sung as the Hebrew congregation enters the temple to worship. Apparently friendly greeting and conversation were transacted outside the temple itself. If you entered my church on Sunday in preparation for worship, you would observe a lot of friendly visiting and last minute getting everyone in the right place. We open with some announcements to get our attention and then share a song followed by a call to worship.

What does worship mean to us? The word worship in the English language is both a noun and a verb*. Even when used as a noun the word describes action. Other English words used to describe worship are venerate or adore*. The Hebrew words describing worship as to do homage, bow down to. The Greek speaks of showing reverence or doing service**. That word selection sounds like it was influenced by Jesus.

Psalm 24 proclaims the Lord as the source of the earth and an entity of such power must be approached with respect.  To come with clean hands and pure hearts, we must spend some time literally getting the dirt off our hands and figuratively cleansing our hears of anything that might separate us from God such as idol worship and deceit. We are the ones who receive blessings in the act of worshipping God.

Steeped in New Testament theology from childhood, I have always viewed Sunday as a day of spiritual renewal preparing me for my future work particularly that of the week ahead. I also appreciate the Sabbath God ordained in Genesis. I think we do need time to rest and pray—good preparation for a new beginning each week.

Prayer: Amen.

*https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/worship
**https://biblescan.com/searchhebrew.php?q=worship

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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Plumbline of Righteousness

Living in the Spirit

July 6, 2021

Scripture Reading: Amos 7:7-15
This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. And the Lord said to me, ‘Amos, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘A plumbline.’ Then the Lord said,
‘See, I am setting a plumbline
   in the midst of my people Israel;
   I will never again pass them by;
the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate,
   and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste,
   and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.’

Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, ‘Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos has said,
“Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
   and Israel must go into exile
   away from his land.”‘
And Amaziah said to Amos, ‘O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.’

Then Amos answered Amaziah, ‘I am no prophet, nor a prophet’s son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”

Amos’s description of the plumbline to illustrate how God sets the standards for our wholeness and well-being is very meaningful. Since early childhood, I have understood that if I did not stack my blocks in correct alignment, they would eventually fall. Common sense readily perceived by a child, however, often differs from our desires. Humans tend to what to have their cake and eat it, too. Amos was expelled from Israel because his warnings went against the leaders’ wishes.

When we read about idol worship in the Hebrew Bible, we envision people bowing down to statutes they have created, like the golden calf the Israelites built because Moses stayed on the mountain too long. I was shocked when I saw an actual golden calf made for a political rally on TV last year. I never knew what its purpose was. Unfortunately, the idols of our time are not usually that easy to identify. The more I search for the roots of evil in our world today, the more I see the truth in 1 Timothy 6:10: For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. They indeed may pierce themselves with pain, but the worst part of greed is it cannot exist without hurting others, too. Greed is the root of slavery and our unwillingness to increase the minimum wage to a living wage. Each time we ignore the plumbline of God’s righteousness, we move out of sync with it, and it will eventually suffer the consequences.

Prayer: Lord, help us see greed wherever it is invading our world. Grant us the courage to turn away from it as we work for a world that follows your righteousness and justice. 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Divided by Greed

Living in the Spirit

July 5, 2021

Scripture Reading:
2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19

David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. David and all the people with him set out and went from Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim. They carried the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart with the ark of God; and Ahio went in front of the ark. David and all the house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. –2 Samuel 6:1-5.

I have no idea how Israelites danced, but I always envision Native American fancy dancers when I read that the Israelites danced with all their might. The indigenous dancers are mesmerizing to watch. Such artistic dancing grew out of the tribal preparation for, or celebrations of a good hunt or battles won. David and company were celebrating the attainment of enough peace to return the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem from being stored to preserve and protect it. Such events were community building, what people of faith recognize as oneness. Jesus called us to be one*. I fear our hold on oneness is very fragile. We have been invaded by the evil of divide and conquer. While we see actual divisions, I sense we are more caught in inertia, concerned that making any movement might start a chain reaction. I have heard we are close to civil war again being spoken.

I am reading Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book Team of Rivals that documents the events surrounding the Civil War of the19th century—a good book. What I notice most about the description of this time and its politics is that greed did not rule politics then as it does today. Slavery is essentially a sin of greed. The abolitionists were in general concerned about the immoral nature of slavery itself.  The pragmatic politicians were trying to hold the nation together. The slave states were trying to maintain their economy, of which slavery was already an accepted, engrained necessity.

Every day I delete a trove of emails and text messages asking me to send $3 or $5 or $25 or whatever I can afford because, if I do not contribute, some horrid bill will pass, or some desperately needed legislation is going to fail. Our democracy is being bought and sold, and we seem helpless to stop it. Of course, I only get the requests that relate to my political persuasions.  I am sure others are receiving the same type of propaganda aimed at the opposite viewpoint. On July 31, 2015, Jimmy Carter said that the U.S. Is an ‘Oligarchy With Unlimited Political Bribery’**. While at the time I thought he might have been overstating the situation, I no longer think he did.

How are people of faith to respond. Inertia is clearly not the answer. Answering God’s call to oneness is the vision for which we strive. The first step is recognizing we need to take it. We need to seek God’s guidance in finding common ground for the Common Good and not stop until it is realized, for it will never be bought.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for trying to go along to get along. Free us from any hold greed has on us. Give us the courage to work toward oneness. Amen.

*See  John 17:20-23
**https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/jimmy-carter-u-s-is-an-oligarchy-with-unlimited-political-bribery-63262/

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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Hospitality

Living in the Spirit

July 4, 2021

Scripture Reading:
Mark 6:1-13

He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, ‘Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.’ So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. –Mark 6:7-13

Wearing a second tunic might be necessary if sleeping outside on a cold day. This requirement for the trip was most likely to inspire the disciples to develop positive relationships with the people they encountered. Such an assumption sounds strange to us today. We would be more apt to purchase a motel room for an unexpected guest. Hospitality in the Middle East is far more like family. One of the things I enjoyed the most about my trip to Turkey a few years ago was the level of hospitality. Jesus was encouraging even more than the basic hospitality. He was asking the disciples to build relationships through the exchange of hospitality.

My rural background may be closer to that type of hospitality. My little church could not afford a full-time pastor. We routinely hired either a seminary student or one of the professors at the Christian Church Seminary located 50 or so miles from the church. Part of their contract was providing dinner at noon and a place to rest and perhaps study until the Sunday evening service. Everybody in the church was expected to sign up for their fair shares of the Sundays. Our days at my house for hosting the pastor were big deals. We got out the best China and sometimes literally killed the fatted café or at least a hen. It was an amazing time for the pastors to get to know their flock. I experienced times like that when I served at a church sitting in waiting rooms with family members while a loved one had surgery. One can learn a lot about love and loss and gratitude while waiting to hear good or bad news.

Hospitality is an art, not a science, and is conveyed through sharing learning more about others. We need that more than ever in our society. Because of the busyness of our lives, we must be very intentional in reaching out to others to provide hospitality. It is more than worth the effort.

Prayer: Lord, help seek out ways to provide hospitality in all aspects of our lives. 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Self-Worth

Living in the Spirit

July 3, 2021

Scripture Reading:
Mark 6:1-13

He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, ‘Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?’ And they took offence at him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.’ And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching.  –Mark 6:1-6

I think the above scripture is about people’s self-worth. When someone is comfortable in their skin, they usually have no problem appreciating the skills and abilities of others. The closer one person’s life and background mirror another’s, the more apt they are to make comparisons, perhaps get into mental if not real competition. Siblings do this all the time. Some try to carve out an area in which they can shine and not be in competition. Others try to excel outside the competition. My brother and sister both excelled at math. I never had any interest in math beyond what was required in a specific class. I made OK grades but only took the required math course in high school. In college, I got my math requirement by taking a course in logic. English and history were my favorite subjects. I wonder if my choices had as much to do with not competing with my siblings.

Lack of self-worth is a significant problem in our world today. We live in a competitive world where people’s worth is often measured in money. Money also usually dictates what schools one attends, the toys they have, the food they eat, whether they receive health care. All of these realities mold people’s lives into classifications that result in a hard-to-break caste system. That is not the way of being Jesus taught. Perhaps these early experiences opened his eyes to seeing the real potential in each person and striving to strengthen people’s gifts rather than toss them aside like bruised fruit.

The worst thing we can do to someone is convincing them that they are better than everybody else. Such people know that is not true and do not know how to deal with that fact. We see the anger and resistance among such people in many aspects of our lives today. While we try to repair the breaches of racism and sexism and how we treat people with physical and mental traits deferring from the majority, we must deal with these self-worth issues. There is no hierarchy of worth among God’s children; only beautiful diversities of potential needing to be supported.

Prayer: Lord, help us recognize and celebrate the gifts in all people while fully supporting them in reaching their full potential. 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Thorns in our Flesh

Living in the Spirit

July 2, 2021

Scripture Reading:
2 Corinthians 12:2-10

I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. And I know that such a person—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows— was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Over the years, there has been much speculation about Paul’s thorn in the flesh. Some theorize it was a recurring illness like malaria or migraine headaches. We do not know if it was physical that the use of the word flesh suggests because Paul used it to describe anything that was not spiritual.  While I do not know what it was, I get the sense reading this scripture that it routinely reminded Paul that he was all too human. We all have experienced that to some degree. I now own adjustable pliers that I use to open lids as my grip is no longer strong enough to twist some off. My brother was born with strong hands. When he was a teenager, my mother could not get the lid off a canned jar of some vegetable or fruit. She carried it into the living room, asking my brother to open it. I saw the surprise on his face when he could not budge it. On his second attempt, he gripped the jar with all his might, focused on opening the lid. The jar broke from the pressure of his hand, but that lid never moved. For me, not to be able to turn a cap is a nuisance. To my brother, not being able to move the lid was an indication of his strength. Something that illustrated in a small way who he was. I think Paul’s thorn was like that to him.

Micah 6:8 teaches us that we are called to walk humbly with our Lord. Paul’s thorn in the flesh prepared him for fulfilling his ministry through all kinds of situations without letting those situations defeat him. We are still graced by his teachings today because of that thorn in his flesh, not despite it.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving us the gift of courage to answer your call to service within our weaknesses. 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

Peaceful Protest

Living in the Spirit

July 1, 2021

Scripture Reading:
2 Corinthians 12:2-10

I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. And I know that such a person—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows— was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

We live in a crazy world. I do not know how many people were arrested on January 6, 2021, when the nation’s capital was breached with windows and furniture broken and congress members hustle out to safety. Five deaths are attributed to that event. An estimated $1.5 million in damage was done. Five hundred people had since been arrested. The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States provides that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. The actions on January 6 clearly did not meet the test of peaceably to assemble.

Recently, Reverend Doctor William Barber Jr. and other participants from the Poor Peoples Campaign, including Reverend Jesse Jackson, led a group of people to Washington DC from West Virginia and Kentucky to meet with their senators, Joe Manchin and Mitch McConnell, at their offices. The group was turned away, and neither man was willing to meet with their constituents. Part of the group then went and stood in the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue to peacefully protest the issues they wanted to discuss. Both men and some others were arrested for, I guess, blocking traffic. Rev. Dr. Barber suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Jesse Jackson has Parkinson’s Disease. Neither of these gentle giants would have hurt anyone. Just standing in solidarity for voters’ rights with the people of West Virginia and Kentucky was a painful chore.  

We cannot let the out-of-control actions of an angry mob overtake the fundamental rights of our democracy. People like Paul did not have the protection of our Constitution. He paid a heavy personal price for his work sharing the love of God. We, however, can and must work for righteousness and justice peaceably.

Prayer: Lord, grant us the courage to be conduits of your love through our citizenship. 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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.

What Sin?

Living in the Spirit

P

June 30, 2021

Scripture Reading: Psalm 130
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
   Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
   to the voice of my supplications!

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
   Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you,
   so that you may be revered.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
   and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
   more than those who watch for the morning,
   more than those who watch for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord!
   For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
   and with him is great power to redeem.
It is he who will redeem Israel
   from all its iniquities.

Psalm 130 is one all followers of God should memorize and recite daily as we strive to serve the Lord in our world today. We do not always get everything right. Many of us commit sins of omission rather than commission. The story of Jesus saving the woman caught in adultery is an excellent example of that. The religious leaders of the day were ready to stone her for her sin until Jesus instructs that the one without sin throw the first stone*. All her accusers turned and walked away. We do not know the woman’s back story, but we see this in our world today. With poverty rampant, we do not support quality education for all. Oklahoma ranks among the worst ten states for health outcomes, yet it took us eleven years and a vote of the people to approve Medicaid expansion providing health care for adults who previously had none. Enrollment in the program started June 1, 2020, and over 100,000 adults have been authorized.

Turning and walking away when we recognize we are imperfect is not the final answer. The definitive answer is moving into the lives of those who need a helping hand to become fully the persons God created them to be. Here are a few ways to recover from sins of omission:

  • Provide school supplies for a child or tutoring someone,
  • Help someone learn English as a second language to enable them to work,
  • Mentor youth left behind as they transition from the child welfare or juvenile justice system toward being productive adults are ways of recovering from those sins of omission.

Prayer: Lord, open our hearts and arms to helping others become whole as our interactions with them make us whole. Amen.

*See John 8:3-11

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 America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.