Tag Archives: Justice

Render unto Caesar

Living in the Spirit

October 17, 2020

Scripture Reading:
Matthew 22:15-22

Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?’ But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, ‘Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax.’ And they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and whose title?’ They answered, ‘The emperor’s.’ Then he said to them, ‘Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

I did not want to deal with render under Caesar (KJV) today. A couple of days ago, I posted my concerns about the USAs tax system’s inequities on social media. Let me say up front; I strongly believe in paying my fair share of taxes. Problems arise in determining what a fair share is.

I am not sure in my faith group’s history when church and state began to be differentiated. Perhaps it was when tribal judges were identified. Maybe it was in the establishment of a king. David was charged with caring for the orphans and widows, along with his military responsibilities. The first ideas about democracy go back to Athens in the fifth century BCE. Jesus, however, lived under Roman occupation. While Rome practiced a representative government form, those it controlled did not have much input. So, in the modern states of democracy, we must glean from Jesus’ teaching guidance for how we work toward establishing the kingdom of God within the various forms of governance across our world.

At Least two tax collectors are described in the gospels, Matthew and Zacchaeus. Tax collectors, in general, are described as despised people. They were required to collect set amounts of taxes for the Roman government but could collect whatever they chose as their fee, and they did. Matthew became one of the twelve disciples, Zacchaeus became a follower of Jesus, repenting and making regarding his fees. That suggests that Jesus thought taxes should be fair.

In a world of separation of church and state, the larger question is the civic responsibility of a Christ-follower? We are called to do justice, and much of justice is related to the government. I think it is a civic responsibility to vote and share our suggestions regarding needed legislation or legislative changes. We need to vote for people of integrity dedicated to representing their diverse constituents, which is one tough job today. More importantly, I have not discerned in any of my studies that God wants us to force our beliefs about God on anyone. God calls us to love God by choice and to follow God’s ways by choice. We accomplish nothing regarding another person’s relationship with God by forcing them to follow our belief systems. Our actions may even be detrimental to another, choosing to love and follow God.

Prayer: Lord, guide us in discerning what is just as we comply with our civic responsibilities and help us be good role models as your servants. 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.

Making Progress not Marching in Place

Living in the Spirit

October 10, 2020

Scripture Reading: Matthew 22:1-14

Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, “Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.” But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, maltreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, “The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests .—Matthew 22:1-10

“If You Always Do What You’ve Always Done, You’ll Always Get What You’ve Always Got.” ~ Henry Ford

God did not create a stagnant world. if it were stagnant, we would all be dead. Nor did God populate the world with inert people. As the world is organic and alive, so our we.  God also created us with purpose and possibilities.

Genesis 9:7– And you, be fruitful and multiply, abound on the earth and multiply in it.’

Genesis 12:1–Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’

Exodus 3:10–God said to Moses, So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.’

God still invites us to be active and engaged in God’s wondrous vision of a world ruled by love, filled with tremendous potential for good. We are not always called to do what we have always done. We are called to grow and prosper in love, do justice, and walk humbly with God* as we dedicate ourselves to implementing God’s purpose.

Prayer: Creator God Still Creating, give us the courage to remove oppression and be conduits of living love throughout our world. Amen.

*See Micah 6:8

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.

Producing God’s Fruit

Living in the Spirit

Scripture Reading:
Matthew 21:33-46

Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures:
“The stone that the builders rejected
   has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
   and it is amazing in our eyes”?*
Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.’

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet. —Matthew 21:42-46

A cornerstone is the event, fact, or thing that forms the principal foundation or support upon which an achievement is based or from which a development makes its beginning**.

The warning that the kingdom of God is designed for those who produce God’s fruit is a stern admonition—an expression of authoritative advice or warning especially in ecclesiastical censure***. And it was not news to the religious leaders of the first century. They had been reading it from ancient scrolls their entire lives.

When studying the Bible, I am continually surprised when I discover something I had never noticed before. Such findings are influenced by the various stages of life and life experiences. Caution is, however, critical to avoid interpreting scriptures in ways that support our vision of the kingdom of God rather than God’s. Beginning Bible study with a prayer of discernment supported by the Holy Spirit is imperative.

What repeatedly is illustrated in Bible stories and life today is that increasing affluence and safety decreases our bearing God’s fruit as we seek more prosperity for ourselves. We interact primarily with people like us, excluding others. We are more driven by self-righteousness rather than God’s righteousness and justice.

The full kingdom of God will never be realized until we mature enough in understanding that God’s kingdom offers for all an abundant life measured by our love for one another. God’s kingdom is defined by inclusion rather than exclusion and requires constant and consistent perseverance to continue to develop and grow God’s fruits.

Prayer:
Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways!
Reclothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives Thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise. Amen.

*Psalm 118:22-23
**https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/cornerstone
*** https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/admonition

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.

Detecting Our Errors

Living in the Spirit

September 30, 2020

Scripture Reading: Psalm 19

But who can detect their errors?
   Clear me from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from the insolent;
   do not let them have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
   and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
   be acceptable to you,
   O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. –Psalm 19:12-14

Indeed, it is hard, though not impossible, to see the errors of our ways and understandings. I see the world so differently from others because of my background, because I am left-handed, I wear glasses, I am female, I am white. I am unique, as each of you is. Yet God, in God’s wisdom, created us to be interdependent beings in relationship with God, other people, other animals, and the earth itself. Such interrelationship requires us to try to see ourselves as others see us for better or for worse. God will also work with us to enter into the difficult tasks of correcting those faults that are only hidden from ourselves. I call this seeking wholeness with the help of God. The closer we are to wholeness in relationship with God, the better we will enter into the oneness Christ desires, enabling justice for all.

The Psalmist broadens the scope of this prayer from looking inward to dealing with outward challenges. The word insolent to me is descriptive of a personality that is disruptive to oneness, using a divide and conquer ploy. When I see this happening in our society, and I see it more and more, I desire to require everyone to read C. S. Lewis’ book, The Screwtape Letters, in which the devil teaches his nephew the devils tricks. Literature can sometimes take us just enough out of our protective shells to help us see ourselves.

The more significant challenge for Christ-followers is that we are called to love the insolent, while not getting pulled into their game. Thus everything we say and do must be acceptable to God, our rock and our redeemer.

Prayer:
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
   be acceptable to you,
   O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. 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.

God Expected Justice

Living in the Spirit

Living in the Spirit

September 29, 2020

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 5:1-7
Let me sing for my beloved
   my love-song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
   on a very fertile hill.
He dug it and cleared it of stones,
   and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watch-tower in the midst of it,
   and hewed out a wine vat in it;
he expected it to yield grapes,
   but it yielded wild grapes.

 And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem
   and people of Judah,
judge between me
   and my vineyard.

 What more was there to do for my vineyard
   that I have not done in it?
When I expected it to yield grapes,
   why did it yield wild grapes?

 And now I will tell you
   what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge,
   and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall,
   and it shall be trampled down.
 I will make it a waste;
   it shall not be pruned or hoed,
   and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns;
I will also command the clouds
   that they rain no rain upon it.

 For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts
   is the house of Israel,
and the people of Judah
   are his pleasant planting;
he expected justice,
   but saw bloodshed;
righteousness,
   but heard a cry!

Isaiah does not mince words, but he writes beautifully, and what he is sharing is very appropriate for us today. It was God who gave us life and all that is needed to sustain it. We live in the abundance of God’s love with one another. God provided for us with the expectation of justice, and we cannot seem to accept that one straightforward request. We choose to worship the idols that tempt us away from justice and, thus, away from God. Peoples who turn from God and create lesser gods of greed and power and self-righteousness find empty dispair.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for our failure to meet your expectation of justice. Make us doer of justice, opening our eyes and hearts to the oppression in our world today. Help us invest ourselves in overcoming injustice. 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.

By What Authority

Living in the Spirit

September 26, 2020

Scripture Reading: Matthew 21:23-32

When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ And they argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?” But if we say, “Of human origin”, we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

The crossroad of politics within religion is marked with various obstructions and further complicated when it spills over into the separation of church and civil governance. The Bible reflects the need for some type of civil control from the time of Moses through the judges and then kings. Keeping the balance of power straight has always been a challenge. The founders of the USA had experienced the extremes of faith-based governance, and thus encased within our Constitution the principle; Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Yet, we still struggle to discern what is sacred and what is civil, and for some reason, we want to make people with other belief systems follow our principles.

In our scripture above, Jesus had just completed his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, cleansed the Temple, and cursed the fig tree. The chief priest and elders had had enough of his failure to follow their rules challenging their authority and wanted to know by what authority he was acting. He sidestepped the question, as it failed to address the real problem.

This scene was played out under the outside oversight of the Roman government. Eventually, the temple governance joined allegiance with the Roman government to seal their temple power and rid themselves of this interloper who was turning the people to another way, grounded in greed and power but not in love. Sound familiar?

I do not believe Christ wants anyone to follow his way unless by choice. We are called to share the love of God with all people; we are not called to force them to accept it or punish them for not practicing our tenets of faith. Living in a nation that claims to be of the people by the people for the people, we must continue working hard to assure the rights of the people are protected and not overtaken by principalities and powers who do not have all the people’s interest at heart.

Prayer: Lord, as we seek to serve you more fully, guide us in doing our part as citizens within the boundaries of your love. 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.

The Mind of Christ

Living in the Spirit

September 25, 2020

Scripture Reading: Philippians 2:1-13

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
   did not regard equality with God
   as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
   taking the form of a slave,
   being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
   he humbled himself
   and became obedient to the point of death—
   even death on a cross. –Philippians 2:1-8

What a perfect scripture to read during this time of mourning and celebration of the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I just watched her memorial service at the USA Supreme Court building. Yes, I recognize that she was Jewish, but so was the author of this scripture, Paul.

We are all called to adhere to the instruction, Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. COVID-19 is a threat to the health and wellbeing of all the peoples of the world right now. It is not the only one. The pandemic of greed in our land is also causing grave consequences from which we will be scarred for generations. It is estimated that more than 133,000 people die a year due to poverty in the USA. These data are from 2011 and do not include the disparity in COVID-19 deaths impacting the poor.

The investigators found that approximately 245,000 deaths in the United States in the year 2000 were attributable to low levels of education, 176,000 to racial segregation, 162,000 to low social support, 133,000 to individual-level poverty, 119,000 to income inequality, and 39,000 to area-level poverty.*

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. Before we can follow this instruction, we must study to discern what was in the mind of Christ. I do not think we realize how our worldviews impact how we read scripture. It is almost impossible for us to remove ourselves from our culture, times, heredity, and personal experience. I just learned that there was a Bible created for the transmission of scripture to slaves**. Someone carefully removed significant parts of the text, particularly about the slaves escaping from Egypt. The book of Exodus apparently only included the description of slavery in Egypt and Moses receiving the Ten Commandments. I wonder how much we read our Bibles this way, leaving out the parts that do not fit our outlooks?

Prayer: Lord, we dedicate starting this day to seek to know your mind and to adjust our lives accordingly. Amen.

*https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/public-health-now/news/how-many-us-deaths-are-caused-poverty-lack-education-and-other-social-factors

**https://www.npr.org/2018/12/09/674995075/slave-bible-from-the-1800s-omitted-key-passages-that-could-incite-rebellion

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.

Care of the Earth

Living in the Spirit

September 21, 2020

Scripture Reading: Exodus 17:1-7

From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarreled with Moses, and said, ‘Give us water to drink.’ Moses said to them, ‘Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?’ But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?’ So Moses cried out to the Lord, ‘What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.’ The Lord said to Moses, ‘Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.’ Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’

I was surprised to read that a shortage of water is one of the projected results of climate change* in my part of the world. Oklahoma is known for its investment in building lakes, probably because of the Dust Bowl. While we might view the Israelites as being whiners in the above scripture, they were realistic, having lived in an arid environment. Scientists project that humans can go without food for several weeks and survive. We die in three or four days without water**.

The Israelites miss the mark not from being frightened but from not being a part of searching for a solution. Moses and the elders went in search of an answer to the problem and found one. We tend to read similar scriptures as if Moses waved a magic staff, and all was well. Moses engaged with God in guiding his actions, but it took strength and fortitude, and hard work to implement the changes needed for the Israelites to survive and eventually thrive.

The Bible is the history of God’s working among God’s followers when one or some of them say to God, here is a problem, I am ready to do something about it and God responding “It’s about time, I am ready. Let’s go.” According to the story of the Israelites, they were enslaved for 400 years or so. We do not have that kind of time regarding addressing climate change.

Prayer: Creator God, you gifted us with the earth and all that is in it and charged us to have dominion over the planet in support of our needs. Forgive us when we have misused it and show us how we can restore it. Amen.

*https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/

**https://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-12-humans-survive-food.html#:~:text=Generally%2C%20it%20appears%20as%20though,around%2045%20to%2061%20days.

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.

Restoring Souls

Living in the Spirit

September 20, 2020

Scripture Reading: Matthew 20:6-8

And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.”

We see the homeless on the sidewalks, idle and hopeless. Some seek work as day laborers, and depending on how many workers are needed, some are often left behind. Who are these people? They may be former soldiers, runaway teens, addicts who can no longer function in society, persons with mental illnesses or physical disabilities, people with regular jobs living in their cars, or sleeping under a bridge who cannot afford shelter.

They may also be former prisoners who, upon serving their terms, are released with a bus ticket to the town of their choice unless they have someone to help. Worse yet, they can carry the stigma of prison into every workplace they approach. The Greek word* translated “visited” in Matthew 25:36c (I was in prison and you visited me) means “to come” and implies more than just a friendly visit as we might consider it. Prisons in the first century did not necessarily provide food or much else. Showing up for someone in prison meant bringing food and clean clothing, perhaps a cloak in the cold months. It meant doing whatever is necessary to restore the prisoner to wholeness. Such restoration is described in Psalm 23:1-3,

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
   He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
   he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
   for his name’s sake.

The scripture is based on the understanding that each of us can have a complete and whole soul. That includes everyone who has ever been in prison for whatever reason, particularly those imprisoned for no legal basis. God calls us to come to the prisoner and do whatever we can to restore their souls in our role as part of the Body of Christ, active and engaged in the world today. Such work can include friendly visiting, linking people to professional help, enabling those getting out of prison to find employment, and assuring that our justice system is just. One of the services I have been most impressed with is training prisoners to train support dogs. Many of those prisons, in working with dogs, experienced unconditional love for the first time while doing something for someone else. We could learn a lot from those dogs.

Prayer: Lord, use us as your conduits to restore souls. Amen.

* https://biblehub.com/greek/2064.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.

Moving Out of Poverty

Living in the Spirit

September 14, 2020

Scripture Reading: Exodus 16:2-15

The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’

Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, “Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.” ’ And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked towards the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.” ’

In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. –Exodus 16:2-3, 9-15

Moses and Aaron led people who lived in a time of authoritarian leaders. The Israelites willingly followed them out of slavery in Egypt but were ready to go back to Egypt when the food ran out. They observed the mighty acts of God in their escape but had little trust that God would see them through the trek in the wilderness. God provided them the food they needed but used it as a learning experience that they must also take responsibility for themselves and others.

We live in a country where wealth is held primarily by 1% of our population and where the federal minimum wage has not been raised since May 2007. It is now $7.25 per hour.  That equals an annual salary for a person working 40 hours per week for 52 weeks a year of $15,080. The poverty level for one person is $13,300. All other sized families have poverty levels above minimum wage. These people are caught in the wilderness of poverty. What are you willing to do to improve your lives and the lives of others?

Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the souls you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can. –John Wesley

Prayer: Lord, enable our advocacy to work toward a world where everyone earns enough to obtain the necessities of life. 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.