Tag Archives: Loving Like Jesus

Ethnocentrism

Living in the Spirit

October 25, 2021

Scripture Reading: Ruth 1:1-18

So [Naomi] said, ‘See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.’ But Ruth said,
‘Do not press me to leave you
   or to turn back from following you!
Where you go, I will go;
   where you lodge, I will lodge;
your people shall be my people,
   and your God my God.
Where you die, I will die—
   there will I be buried.
May the Lord do thus and so to me,
   and more as well,
if even death parts me from you!’
When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her. –Ruth 1:15-18

This scripture was once used in wedding ceremonies; however, they were being taken out of context. I have not heard it read at a wedding for many years. I recall a pastor suggesting that when a couple asked these words be included at their wedding, it would be more appropriate for the bride to say these words to her newly acquired mother-in-law. They were omitted.

There are all types of intrigue included in this story. Ruth was a foreigner choosing to leave her homeland and adopt that of her mother-in-law. She gathered leftover grain in the fields so she and

Naomi could eat. She did not practice the faith of the Israelites but was a convert. We measure people’s worth based on cultural values. God looks at their hearts*. Ethnocentricity seems to be inborn in people. I do not think God put it there at our creation. Ethnocentricity is the belief that a dominant ethnic group is superior to other ethnic groups, and that its perspectives should be adopted at the individual and societal levels**.

At some point in our lives, we absorb from our society the idea that our worth is established based on being better than another or some other person or people. If we believe that all people are created in the image of God, there are no people left with whom to compare ourselves to calculate our worth. Most of our societal problems could be addressed more quickly if we could get past our unnecessary need to be better than another person or group. Be who God created you to be. It does not get any better than that.

Prayer: Lord, help us remove the social elements we have taken on from our culture that are distracting us from serving you by loving as you love us. Amen.

*See 1 Samuel 16:7

**https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780198796688.001.0001/acref-9780198796688-e-657

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.

Seeing

Living in the Spirit

October 24, 2021

Scripture Reading: Mark 10:46-52

They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’ Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

We all have collected life filters we carry that shape how we intake information into our being. I inherited my love of listening to the news from my Dad morning, noon, evening, and night. A few years ago, Dad’s local station of preference played a tribute segment on the late-night news when their long-time noon news anchor died. Just hearing this voice from my childhood made me hungry. I listened to his voice every day just before lunch. That connection that filter was still resident somewhere deep in my mind. Filters are neither good nor bad. However, they can wear out their usefulness, and they may lose their truthfulness. In those instances, we need to identify those that stagnate our faith, clear them out, and refresh our hearts and minds with filters drawn from our faith.

Our scripture today talks about the life filter of being physically blind. Still, I also think it speaks to the reality that we do not see the attitudes and practices harming our ability to love God and love our neighbors as we love ourselves. We are easily distracted by issues that divide us and fail to find ways to work toward the oneness Christ calls us to be. We must let the Spirit guide us out of cultural blindness and reclaim the loving ways set for us by God when he sent his Son, Jesus.

Prayer:

 Open my eyes that I may see
glimpses of truth thou hast for me.
Place in my hands the wonderful key
that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine*! Amen.

*First verse of the hymn Open My Eyes That I may See by Clara H. Scott. See at https://hymnary.org/text/open_my_eyes_that_i_may_see

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.

Intercession

Living in the Spirit

October 21, 2021

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 7:23-28

Furthermore, the former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. –Hebrews 7:23-25

I would love to know who wrote Hebrews and I would like to have met the person. Hebrews is a writing masterpiece. The first sentence in the above scripture is priceless. It is essentially saying that there are a lot of former priests because they are dead. Life is short for every human when compared to eternity. Our intercessor, our high priest, Christ, is eternal.

Having Christ ready and willing to intercede for us all the time and forever is remarkable, but what does intercede mean?

Merriam Webster defines intercede as to act between parties with a view to reconciling differences, to beg or plead in behalf of another.

The Greek word entygxánō, translated intercession above, is a little more complicated. The term intensifies the Greek word, tygxánō**, which means to obtain by hitting the mark. Missing the mark, translated from the Greek word, hamartanó**,  is one definition of sin. Christ intercedes for us as he meets us where we are missing the mark and, through his Grace, straightens our aim from missing the mark to hitting the mark. When I read the phrase hitting the mark, I envision someone aiming a bow and arrow aimed at a target several feet away with a bullseye in the middle. We must return to the master teacher and allow his grace and love to enable us to hit the target of our calling.*

We, too, are called to intercede for others whose paths we cross along the way. Christ’s grace is sufficient, but people must know about the Savior his grace. We are the ones sent to share that good news. We are also called to love like Jesus and thus plead on behalf of others who may be facing a crisis of faith, health, mental health, poverty, or loss. All life difficulties do not result from sin. As Jesus says, it rains on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45.) We serve Christ when we intercede in prayer and encourage others helping in any other way we can.

Prayer: God, we thank you for the gift of grace you brought us through the life, death, and resurrection of your Son Jesus the Christ. Thank you for straightening our aim at life’s challenges when we miss the mark. Make us repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in (Isaiah 58:12.) Amen.

*https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/intercede

**https://biblehub.com/greek/264.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.

Advocate for Justice

Living in the Spirit

October 19, 2021

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 31:7-9

For thus says the Lord:

Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,

   and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;

proclaim, give praise, and say,

   ‘Save, O Lord, your people,

   the remnant of Israel.’

See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north,

   and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,

among them the blind and the lame,

   those with child and those in labor, together;

   a great company, they shall return here.

With weeping they shall come,

   and with consolations I will lead them back,

I will let them walk by brooks of water,

   in a straight path in which they shall not stumble;

for I have become a father to Israel,

   and Ephraim is my firstborn.

I have not decided whether it is good or bad to know all the bad things are happening in our world within seconds. We can get information overload that makes us numb to crisis after crisis. Yet, being aware of world events helps us see what we were ignorant of in the past.  I view with interest pictures of cargo ships backed up in the Pacific Ocean. The delivery system from abroad has gotten so overcrowded it cannot unload the vessels on time. Part of that results from not having enough truck drivers and people who offload ships.  Layoffs and work stoppages caused by COVID have resulted in employees reconsidering the type of work and shifting to better-paying jobs or demanding higher pay. The real problem is while C.E.O. salaries have skyrocketed, workers’ wages have stagnated. By 2019, C.E.O. compensation grew 940% since 1978*.  In 2020, top C.E.O.s earned 351 times more than the typical worker**. 

In the scripture above, Jeremiah has seen the plight of his people and is assuring them that God will restore them to wholeness. I believe that is the case today. God is working God’s purpose out. Therefore, we as God’s followers are called to do our part for all people to benefit from the love of God where they can walk by brooks of clean water along straight paths in a world where justice prevails.

Prayer: Lord, help us not miss the parts of our world that are curving off your path. Guide us in our advocacy for your justice. Amen.

*https://www.epi.org/publication/ceo-compensation-2018/

**https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/15/in-2020-top-ceos-earned-351-times-more-than-the-typical-worker.html

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.

In the scripture above, Jeremiah has seen the plight of his people and is assuring them that God will restore them to wholeness. I believe that is the case today. God is working God’s purpose out. Therefore, we as God’s followers are called to do our part for all people to benefit from the love of God where they can walk by brooks of clean water along straight paths in a world where justice prevails.

Prayer: Lord, help us not miss the parts of our world that are curving off your path. Guide us in our advocacy for your justice. Amen.

*https://www.epi.org/publication/ceo-compensation-2018/

**https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/15/in-2020-top-ceos-earned-351-times-more-than-the-typical-worker.html

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 Design

Living in the Spirit

October 17, 2021               

Scripture Reading: Mark 10:46-52

They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’ Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

Mark reports a straightforward request for healing that was granted. Other gospels in telling this story delve into the politics of the day. I was refreshed reading this version, having grown weary of media reports on issues that matter to me where the press only talks about the politics and not the contents of a bill or the problems being addressed. The media no longer seems to care about “we the people.” It is more concerned about we the political party or we the powermongers. The media cares about what gets them better ratings which translates into better profits. Jesus cared about the people.

How do we, as followers of Christ, turn that around? Getting caught up in greed and power brokering historically always ends badly, not only for commoners but especially for the wealthy and the powerful.  God did not create a world that can sustain being constantly pulled out of balance, regarding the earth itself or its people. Instead, God created a masterpiece where all people are indeed created equal. Where we all must make our contributions to making the world work for everyone in it. We were all created with gifts that must be realized and supported by all for all.

Benjamin Franklin said it this way: We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.

Jesus put it this way: Love God and love your neighbors as you love yourself.

Our country was founded on that premise. The question is, do we have the will to make it work?

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we care more about worldly wealth and power than we do about one another. Turn us around to see and do your better way. 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.

Paradox

Living in the Spirit

October 15, 2021

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 5:1-10

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. –Hebrews 5:7-10

A paradox is a statement or sentiment that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet perhaps true in fact*. The above scripture opens with a paradox. The phrase In the days of his flesh is a beautiful way to share with people the true humanness Jesus experienced those 30 some years he walked this earth. He prayed to God who could save him with prayers and supplications and was heard because of his reverent submission. He was heard and yet submitted to crucifixion. I cannot imagine how either God or Jesus felt about the situation. Was crucifixion a given? Was there a point at which any leader of the day could say, this is just not right? I think the answer is yes. Caiaphas, the High Priest, could have turned the situation around. Pilate, too, certainly could have said we are not doing this rather than washing his hands of the situation.

What would it take for one of our leaders to see the errors of our ways and say no more? What would it take for we, the people, to say no more? We want justice. We want to do what is right. Neither justice nor righteousness is complicated to understand. Making them happen only gets complicated when we view them through the filters of our worldly vices. Will my doing what is right make me lose the next election? Will seeking justice reduce the support of my strongest backers? Will assuring that all people are treated in a just manner reduce my white privilege?

We have limited opportunities to get things right. So we must take them when they appear.

Prayer: Lord, share your courage fueled by love with us when we can be the conduit of justice and righteousness in our world. Amen.

*https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/paradox

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.

Restore Righteousness

Living in the Spirit

October 12, 2021

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 53:4-12

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain.
When you make his life an offering for sin,
   he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days;
through him the will of the Lord shall prosper.
   Out of his anguish he shall see light;
he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge.
   The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous,
   and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great,
   and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because he poured out himself to death,
   and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
   and made intercession for the transgressors.  –Isaiah 53:10-12

I just saw a man interviewed on T.V. who has spent 42 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. There is no question in the current prosecuting attorney’s mind from the town he was tried. Clear evidence was presented. The man did not commit the crime. Yet the State Attorney General does not want to overturn the original verdict, for what reason I do not know, and thinks the prisoner should serve out his life without parole sentence. Being tough on crime gets votes. But, justice is the job of any judicial system, and keeping an innocent man in prison is not justice.

The person identified in the above scripture went far being setting a mistaken judgment right. Instead, he made people righteous who were guilty of transgressions. That is restorative justice, which offers people who committed crimes opportunities to turn their lives around and become members of society, making a positive contribution to their communities. Drug courts are an excellent example of restorative justice. Rather than sending someone convicted of drug possession, a restorative plan is developed, including treatment, getting and keeping a job, and not being charged again for similar actions. Once all the requirements are completed, participants return to society with righteousness restored.

A program for people who committed severe crimes sentenced to life without payroll allows them to train service dogs. They will never get out of prison, but they have been restored to righteousness. One observer noted that the dogs’ unconditional love was probably the only unconditional love some prisoners had ever received.

Prayer: Lord, make us all restorers of righteousness, whether in hands-on acts with others in need or through advocacy for restorative justice in all our court systems. 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.

Grace Not Greed

Living in the Spirit

Living in the Spirit

October 9, 2021

Scripture Reading: Mark 10:17-31

As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.”‘ He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions. –Mark 10:17-22

The story of greed is what’s in it for me. Jesus recognized greed when he saw it and dealt with it. Life is not driven by love if we follow the rules only to inherit eternal life. I am glad the writer of Mark noted that Jesus loved the man that knelt before him. Jesus was pleased that he obeyed the laws and norms of his culture. Yet, Jesus does not include the first commandments in the list of desired behavior. We halt at stop signs at best to protect our safety, at least to avoid getting a ticket. The Commandments outlined in the above scripture fall mainly in the category of maintaining order.

The primary Commandments Jesus did not list were the first ones, how we respect and relate to God. In summary*, they are

I am the LORD your God you shall

  • Have no other gods before me
  • Have no graven images or likenesses
  • Not take the LORD’s name in vain
  • Remember the sabbath day

Possessions were this young man’s God perhaps exemplified by graven images. Greed spreads in pandemic proportions faster and more profound than COVID. Greed quickly mutates as people begin to rein it in. Christ’s gift of grace elimenates the temptation of greed targeted at winning eternal life. Eternal life with God is ours for the accepting. That gift opens our lives to the fullness of loving God and loving like Jesus as we work to build the world Jesus died to actualize.

Prayer: Lord, we love you and worship you and thank you for the gift of grace, help us use it wisely. Amen.

*See Exodus 20 for the complete listing.

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.

Empathy

Living in the Spirit

October 8, 2021

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 4:12-16

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. –Hebrews 4:14-16

God with Us coming to earth in the person of Jesus is something we should never take for granted. Empathy is necessary for loving one another. The song, Walk a mile in My Shoes* by Joe South most likely was influenced by the poem Judge Softly** written in 1895 by Mary T. Lathrap. Here is the first verse:

Pray, don’t find fault with the man that limps,
Or stumbles along the road.
Unless you have worn the moccasins he wears,
Or stumbled beneath the same load.

The refrain for Joe South song reads:

Walk a mile in my shoes, walk a mile in my shoes
Hey, before you abuse, criticize and accuse
Walk a mile in my shoes

Jesus experienced being human from his first trip to the temple as a child, his sojourn in the desert being tempted by Satan to dying on a cross. He loved and was loved but also knew rejection and betrayal while never losing his connectedness to God. Our faith in God stems from trusting in Jesus’ witness to God’s amazing grace and total commitment to each of God’s children to remain in a relationship with God. Do we choose to live in a relationship with God?

Maintaining our relationship with God requires us to let Christ help us have empathy for ourselves. When we see the person God created us to be through the empathetic eyes of Christ, we are enabled to revise our ways to love ourselves, and loving ourselves is the first step to loving our neighbors.

Prayer: Lord, allow us each to see that you created us to be one with you and one with all your children. Grant us the courage to step out and live as you are calling us to live. Amen.

*See at https://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/joe+south/walk+a+mile+in+my+shoes_20343302.html

**https://jamesmilson.com/about-the-blog/judge-softly-or-walk-a-mile-in-his-moccasins-by-mary-t-lathrap/

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 is Just?

Living in the Spirit

October 4, 2021

Scripture Reading: Amos 5:6-7
Seek the Lord and live,
   or he will break out against the house of Joseph like fire,
   and it will devour Bethel, with no one to quench it.

Wormwood– something bitter, galling, or grievous*

Wormwood as used in the Hebrew Scriptures–From an unused root supposed to mean to curse; wormwood (regarded as poisonous, and therefore accursed) — hemlock, wormwood**

There is an actual Wormwood plant that is very bitter and poisonous. Thus, the word has been culturally adapted to define being cursed. The very graphic picture of justice being turned into something bitter and cursed is startling. One person’s justice is another person’s loss. We are caught in that same struggle in our world today. A male relative of mine indicated that he felt persecuted by what I will call here for general purposes, the women’s movement. He did not accept my explanation that losing privilege is not the same thing as being persecuted.

What is just and right are difficult questions to answer because we each see the issue from our personal or group’s peculiar vantage point. So how do we discern God’s vantage point, and, harder still, how do we build our lives around God’s justice and righteousness in a world where culture is the primary source of determining what is right and wrong?

We turn to the Bible for help and find book after book dealing with this same issue in different times among varied cultures. For example, the first time I read an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (see Exodus 21:24), I was appalled at such punishment for a crime until I learned that before this rule was established, one might get a death sentence if one poked out another person’s eye or knocked out a tooth. Our ancestors in faith were struggling with defining fairness in a progressively adapting world where change was the primary constant.

During WWII, men were pulled away from all kinds of jobs to fight the war. Women also served in some capacities in the war, but they primarily filled the positions the drafted men had left. Fast forward to 1973, and we find that it was the first year a single-income family could not earn a living wage in the USA. In both instances, the role of women changed out of necessity.

Jesus instructed us that the primary commandments were to love God and love our neighbors as we love ourselves. So we need to start from that point and move forward as we develop a just world.

Prayer: Lord, broaden our vision to see what is happening about us that may require us to reconsider what is just and what is right. Amen.

*https://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/wormwood

**https://biblehub.com/hebrew/3939.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.