Tag Archives: Justice for all

Greed is Not Healthy

Living in the Spirit

September 22, 2022

Scripture Reading:

1 Timothy 6:6-19

Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 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. –1 Timothy 6:6-10

I think the pandemic of greed that has overtaken our world is much more serious than any health pandemic. Greed is surely a part of why the COVID virus has been so devastating. The cost of healthcare in the USA is higher than in any other industrialized nation*. We rank last in quality of care**.  We have pierced ourselves with many pains to maintain our quest for wealth.

Prayer: Lord, open our eyes to see the world as it is for all people, not just the wealthy few. Amen.

*https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/health-spending-u-s-compare-countries-2/#Health%20consumption%20expenditures%20per%20capita,%20U.S.%20dollars,%20PPP%20adjusted,%202020%20or%20nearest%20year

**https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2021/aug/mirror-mirror-2021-reflecting-poorly#:~:text=The%20U.S.%20ranks%20last%20overall,age%2060%20(23.1%20years).

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.

God’s Refugees

Kingdom Building

August 9, 2019

Scripture Reading:
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going.

All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them. –Hebrews 11:8, 13-16

We as followers of Christ are called to be refugees in our world today longing for and challenged to create a homeland that mirrors the love that Jesus modeled for us in his life. We are refugees sent forth into all the world to share the ways and worth, beauty and truth of Christ’s message. It seems to me that the closer we get to some semblance of peace and harmony in our segment of the world where our group has a pretty good life, having enough to meet basic needs and more, we grow complacent as the enticements of the world blend seamlessly into a worldview that equates our homeostasis* with God’s. They are not the same.

We are certainly not the first to view such things as our material success, being the same as God’s vision of the world. We even today have a title for it: The Prosperity Gospel. The stories of the Kings of Israel accompanied by the warnings of prophets like Amos and Isaiah illustrate the same scenario. I suppose that only proves that we truly do not learn from history. We, however, can learn from history striving to transition the whole world and all that is in it to God’s vision of the world God created. We not only can do this with God’s help, we must.

Prayer: Lord, save us from ourselves as we settle for less than your promises have to offer. Amen.

*a tendency toward maintenance of relatively stable social conditions among groups with respect to various factors (as food supply and population among animals) and to competing tendencies and powers within the body politic, to society see at http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/homeostasis

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.

Sharing in Enough

Living in the Spirit
June 29, 2018

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:7-15

For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has—not according to what one does not have. I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance. As it is written,
‘The one who had much did not have too much,
   and the one who had little did not have too little.’ –2 Corinthians 8:12-15

Paul’s quote is from the story of Manna from Heaven provided for the Israelites in the desert:
But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed. –Exodus 16:18

What is enough? Paul is suggesting that we have responsibility for assuring that all have enough to meet basic needs requiring some who have much to offset in some way the incomes of those who have too little. Today we do that in many ways. We make direct contributions of food, clothing, etc. Some of us own and operate businesses that choose to pay a living wage costing some of our profits while benefiting us by having a supply of competent, hardworking, dependable staff. Some of our governmental taxing systems support this idea by scaling taxation progressively based on income. Those who earn less pay a smaller percentage of their income in taxes.

MIT created and maintains a living wage calculator that attempts to define what is enough to provide for necessities*. It includes food, childcare, medical, housing, transportation, and other items which includes such things as clothing, housekeeping supplies, and personal care supplies. While the living wage minimum income needs far exceed the minimum wage and the poverty level in all family categories, it is very sparse. After calculating what various family categories require, it adds in the taxes they must pay. It does not include charitable contributions.

Why does it matter to Paul and to God in the Manna story that everyone has enough? God created the world as a whole system with each part interdependent with the other. For God’s world to function at its best all parts must function at their best. Such a system is built on the concept of love, wanting the very best for another. It supersedes any philosophy that structures the world toward personal gain at the expense of others. God’s system contributes to a steady state of shalom—wellbeing and peace for all. We pay a high price in lost shalom when we let greed undercut God’s design.

Prayer: God who provides enough, guide us in following your example in all aspects of our lives as we strive to assure that all your children have enough. Amen.

*http://livingwage.mit.edu/

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.

Fortunate

Beautiful-music-is-the-art__quotes-by-Martin-Luther-10Lent
March 9, 2016

Scripture Reading: Psalm 126

Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
   like the watercourses in the Negeb.
May those who sow in tears
   reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
   bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
   carrying their sheaves. –Psalm 126:4-6

What are our fortunes that we wish God to restore? The request to restore suggests that what we are asking for is something that God has provided before. Perhaps it also implies these were fortunes we knew before we turned away from God and God’s understanding of what is a fortune. I do not think the Psalmist is talking about winning the lottery or even becoming amazingly wealthy in our business ventures or investments. What would make you feel you were fortunate?

I am blessed everyday by knowing that God loves me and I have a loving family, share in a wonderful faith community, and experience the joy of loving others. The world for me would be bleak without music even if it is just running around in my head. Sunny days and gorgeous sunsets remind me of God’s presence. I live in a nation that assures me the right to worship God as befits my relationship with the Lord. In my retirement, I have enough material resources to meet my basic needs.

The thing most missing in my life that makes me unfortunate is that everyone cannot list these same blessing. Justice and oneness and wholeness for all God’s children is the missing fortune in my life. How can any of us fully appreciate a sunny day until all of us can?

I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.*

Prayer: Lord, guide us to seek your justice so that all can sing because they are free and happy. Amen.

*Chorus to I Sing Because I’m Happy words by Civilla D. Martin. See at http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/h/i/hiseyeis.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 American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.