Tag Archives: gentleness

Being Wise and Harmless

Kingdom Building

September 21, 2019

Scripture Reading:
Luke 16:1-13

Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, “What is this that I hear about you? Give me an account of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.” Then the manager said to himself, “What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.” So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, “How much do you owe my master?” He answered, “A hundred jugs of olive oil.” He said to him, “Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.” Then he asked another, “And how much do you owe?” He replied, “A hundred containers of wheat.” He said to him, “Take your bill and make it eighty.” And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd, in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes. –Luke 16:1-9

Recent news stories about wealthy parents who bought their children’s way into acceptance at prestigious universities flashed through my mind as I read this parable. Indeed, the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. Getting caught is the sin—missing the mark—of the world. God did not call us to be naive. Jesus tells us we must be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves*.

David understood the ways of the world which allowed him to overcome them. Most often that was on the battlefield, but he was a clever politician and diplomat. Our challenge today is to use our talents and skills wisely as we work to fulfill God’s vision for the world God created. The stories of David recorded in the Bible books of Samuel constantly refer to David as maintaining communications with God. He certainly proved that he was not a perfect man but he never relented in keeping his relationship with God.

Several of those parents who attempted to bribe their children’s way into college have plead guilty, made apologies, and are now trying to right their relationships with their children.  Life usually brings us many opportunities to renew and restore our relationship with God, we need to seek them as we journey toward a better world.

Prayer: Lord, as we see the shrewdness of the world, help us to shine your light of love around it and convert it into the wisdom of your Kingdom. Amen.

*Matthew 10:16

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.

Gentleness

Kingdom Building

July 4, 2019

Scripture Reading: Galatians 6:1-17

My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ. For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor’s work, will become a cause for pride. For all must carry their own loads. –Galatians 6:1-5

The Greek word translated above as transgression is paraptóma which means a falling away, lapse, slip, false step, trespass, sin*. This definition runs the gamut from failing to complete a task someone has committed to do to doing something that potentially separates someone from God. His advice is generic for all instances we are to restore the person in a spirit of gentleness.

Paul addresses a tough issue here. What is our role when we see someone doing something we perceive as a transgression? When a new nursery volunteer fails to show up, we might call them and ask if everything is OK and if they say I just forgot or I overslept, we might say, would you like me to call and remind you? You know a lot of young parents are depending on us to care for their children so they can worship.

My understanding of the scriptures is that Jesus ultimately is the only one who can judge sin, what separates us from God when we are missing the mark in our relationship with and response to our calling from God. We certainly can and do observe people who are close to us who are doing things that are harmful to themselves and perhaps others. Things that are not consistent with loving our neighbors as we should be loving ourselves. It is my experience that the only thing that breaks through the shells such people have built around themselves is gentleness coupled with firmness. I love you, I will always love you but I cannot allow you to sell drugs from my home.

We must also deal with the question: do we become a transgressor ourselves if we fail to restore in a spirit of gentleness? This gets back to that question of judgement. It seems to me there is a lot going on in our society that looks more like hate than love as we condemn others for not being like us.

Prayer: Lord, help us to treat others with gentleness as you restore us through your gentle love. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/3900.htm

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.

Gentleness

Advent
December 15, 2018

Scripture Reading: Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

There is an assumption in the phrase let your gentleness be known to everyone in this scripture that all possess some amount of gentleness. Someone posted a picture of one of my adult grand-nephews recently on Facebook. He is a good-sized guy, was a football lineman in high school, and now has a full beard. The picture is of him asleep lying back in a recliner with a tiny kitten also asleep on his shoulder her head resting on his beard. The picture is the epidemy of a gentle giant and assures anyone around that nobody is going to mess with that kitten. One of the images of God is the gentle Savior who is present with all the Lord’s children and other creatures too.

The Greek word translated gentle in the above scripture is epieikḗs* and it means justice beyond ordinary justice. It represents true equity that appropriately fulfills the spirit not just the letter of the law. Sounds like a good helping of justice served with a touch of God’s grace. Isn’t that what God wants, what we want for everyone as we gently serve as God’s hands and feet active in the world today?

Gentle Savior, lead me on
Let Your Spirit light the way
Gentle Savior, lead me on
Hold me close and keep me safe
Lead me on, gentle Savior**

Prayer: O God, Lead us into greater gentleness. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/1933.htm
**Chorus of Gentle Savior lyrics by David Phelps / Kyle Matthews / Greg Bieck © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group. See at https://www.google.com/search?q=gentle+savior&oq=gentle+savi&aqs=chrome.0.0j69i57j0l4.13560j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

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.

Our Inheritance

In the arms of GodLiving in the Spirit
Light a Candle for Children
October 7, 2014

 Scripture Reading: Exodus 32:1-14

 But Moses implored the Lord his God, and said, ‘O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, “It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth”? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, “I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it for ever.” ’ And the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people. — Exodus 32:11-14

Why do people do wrong when they know better? Moses makes an interesting point in his negotiations with God in our scripture today. Moses doesn’t plead for the Israelites for their sake but asked God to essentially “turn the other cheek” because if God does not, it will look to all the world like God is not all powerful. It is scary, if you realize that the whole world judges God by the behavior of those of us who claim to be God’s followers, but it is true. The back story of this scripture is that Moses is basically admitting that we humans are a weak and fickle lot who chase after any and all other gods when at the same time we are being held in the loving arms of the one true God.

The other point in this scripture is also pertinent. Moses reminds God that God promised the descendants of Abraham countless children and land, and I am reminded that Jesus said the meek or gentle shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5) It seems to me that one of the traits of a meek or gentle person would be an understanding of the majesty of God because they are not self-absorbed and also an understanding that all children are God’s children and that the land God has given us for sustenance and to sustain is the whole earth.

We need to live so that others can clearly see the image of God in us and we need to be catalyst for all of God’s children to understand that they are people of worth because they too were created in the image of God.

Oklahoma Fact: In 2013, 11.8% of children were overweight or obese.*

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we turn away from you and hurt others in the process. Heal our souls O God, so that we may be whole and in our wholeness may be the means for healing among others in our world. Amen.

* http://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/8223-children-overweight-or-obese?loc=38&loct=2#detailed/2/any/false/36,867,38,18,16/any/16741

 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.