WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
August 22nd 2010
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
Luke 13:10-17
“Compassion and Ideology”
Westminster is a congregation with some very talented singers. Westminster is also a congregation with people who are afraid of singing. Yet singing is at the heart of our faith. “Sing a joyful noise to the Lord.” Yet somewhere along the line too many of us heard the voice of someone who told us to keep our voice to ourselves. But I believe each one of us has a song to sing. I believe God wants each one of us to share our song.
For eighteen years this woman was bent over. The weight of the world had pushed her over and kept her down. Why did she not come on the other days to be healed? She was probably afraid. Or she began to believe that this bent over and stunted life was all she was ever going to have. She had lost the belief that healing might come in the house of God. So day after day she walked, bent over believing this is all there was to her life.
Have you ever tried to sing bent over? Have you ever tried to sing when you are afraid? When we are full of fear and when we are bent over the sound of our song is pinched and shallow and weak. In the end our song becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Let me show you what I mean. When you bend over and pinch off your voice in fear the sound is actually held back. But when you stand up straight and breath deeply from your diaphragm and open your throat the sound is rather different. While bad posture can cause this to happen, more often than not fear will lead us to hold back the deep song inside us. Whether you are a singer or not, there is a song inside you waiting to be heard, waiting to break through the fear.
The leader of the synagogue was indignant that Jesus would heal on the Sabbath. How could he do such a thing? It is easy to heap criticism on the leaders. We can set them up as people unlike us or people we see as our opposition. But, that will not lead down fruitful paths. It will allow us to find ourselves as righteous and on the side of Jesus, as people who are naturally going to be the healers. If this story is to be about us, we must recognize and admit that we are both people in need of healing and people who are indignant at healing that is out of order. In this story, for true compassion, the love of God, to overcome any ideology that has become our idol, we have to see parts of ourselves in the voice of the leader and in the place of the bound woman.
One of the techniques for dealing with stress is to breath. Sounds overly simplistic, but when we are under stress our respiration drops. When we our bent over it is not only difficult to sing but even to breath. If the leaders of the synagogue had taken a moment to breathe and to realize what was going on, they might have joined the woman in her healing and praising God. While it is not possible for all people to physically stand strait up we can take an internal posture the moves us from being bent over.
When our song becomes pinched or even silenced we need to take a deep breath. We need to ask ourselves why? Are we being held back by some external force? Is what is happening to us because of our race, our gender, our sexuality, our speech, or disability? If that is case, we must also ask ourselves where have we taken those soul killing externals and taken them and made them our own. Saint Louis’ own author Debra Dickerson wrote a blog for a while called: The Last Plantation is the Mind. It was a poignant reminder of how we can internalize the systems of oppression around us.
The woman who had been bent over for eighteen years never thought she could find healing in God’s own house. It never occurred to the leaders of the synagogue that she didn’t come for healing on the other six days because they made it clear she wasn’t welcome. On that day the woman, the leaders, and all those gathered were invited to see freedom born of compassion. A deep cleansing breath was taken by all.
This passage of healing is one that does not allow us to walk away unchallenged. It forces us to ask the hard questions. Where has our song been silenced and where have we silenced our own song? We are all in need of life, healing, connection, love and purpose. But instead we put up with far less. Let us take a deep breath, relax our throats and let out our song so that true healing can come. Amen? Amen!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Bad Influence
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
August 15th 2010
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
Luke 12:49-56
“Bad Influence”
I do not know about you but the words of Jesus seem pretty inflammatory and not really in character. They are exactly the sort of words that those will ill intentions could use to prove that Christianity is a religion of war and violence. “I came to bring fire to the earth,” and “Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!” How do we explain that away? What are we supposed to do when the person we call; “The Prince of Peace,” claims his mission was NOT to bring peace on earth?
The truth is that the whole concept of division makes no sense at face value. We love to believe that Jesus is welcoming and bringing people together. But this notion of division cannot be easily dismissed. Division can come in many forms. Out of this passage we can justify the belief that only “we” are the chosen ones of God. But this interpretation, while tempting to some, is not the Jesus we come to know in the Gospels. But what then are we to do with division?
A clue to what might be going on is to look at the framing of the parings. Jesus is not saying that he came to bring division among people of different faith or nation. Jesus did not say he came to bring division between neighbors or communities. The division that Jesus brings is in families and more specifically among generations. Look closely at the divisions and it comes in a family. Mothers and daughters, Fathers and Sons, mother-in-law, and daughter-in-law, each one of these pairings provide a specific familial and generation struggle.
Frankly, this does not provide us any better ground on which to stand. At the heart of the passage is still this issue of division and division between generations. However, it is a story we actually know well. Today there is a great deal of struggle between the generations and the church needs to study these carefully. There are seismic changes afoot, from the political, economic, religious, and cultural landscape. If you look at the generational attitudes on race, politics, gender, sexuality and economics, it is clear that our world is not going to look the same in a few short years. Most of the arguments that dominate the headlines under the topic of the “cultural war,” do not matter to those under forty-five. In other words, the culture war is over but those most vocally fighting just do not know it yet.
These changes, as changes often do, have led to a backlash of fear and anger. This is true inside as well as outside the church. So what does that mean for us? How should we respond? The first thing to remember is that this sort of seismic shift is not new and it will not be the last. That does not mean we can put our heads in the sand and believe the church has always and will always be around. While that is true, the church as we know it, is an endanger specie and will not last.
On a more accessible scale, right here at Westminster, it means that we need not just to recognize our differences in all its forms, but to investigate what they mean. Everyone is not the same nor do they have them same experiences, understandings, tastes, desires, and hopes. When we worship, some of us believe worship is a solitary quiet experience that is well ordered so that speech is to happen at “proper” times. Others feel the movement of the spirit and are moved to respond in speech or with clapping. There has to be a place for all these expressions of faith. Each comes from a deep spiritual well that needs to be acknowledged, and welcomed so that each can exist in side-by-side. In doing so we can move beyond the surprised look that gets interpreted as condescension of lack of welcome. We have to listen and share with one another.
However, with all the talk of change, the good news is that many things have, and will, stay the same. At the heart of our faith is the sharing of meals, study of scripture, serving others, being generous with our resources, and worshipping God. While the shape and form has been in flux for two-thousand years, the content has remained the same. As we face these new seismic shifts we need to make this our central focus. Being disciples is our sole responsibility and our calling. And when Jesus talks about bring division; I believe it has everything to do with the flexibility of shape and the constancy of content. He knows that divisions will arise and we need to figure out what is essential and what is worth our energy and passion. Jesus says, look out… every generation is going to come along and stir things up. Our job is to make sure they get the content. Worship, shared meals, scripture, generosity and service. Change is coming… let us make sure we have a hand in passing along the most enduring parts of our faith and not another example of generational strife. That is the best of what Westminster really is all about. And for that, I give thanks and say: Amen.
August 15th 2010
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
Luke 12:49-56
“Bad Influence”
I do not know about you but the words of Jesus seem pretty inflammatory and not really in character. They are exactly the sort of words that those will ill intentions could use to prove that Christianity is a religion of war and violence. “I came to bring fire to the earth,” and “Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!” How do we explain that away? What are we supposed to do when the person we call; “The Prince of Peace,” claims his mission was NOT to bring peace on earth?
The truth is that the whole concept of division makes no sense at face value. We love to believe that Jesus is welcoming and bringing people together. But this notion of division cannot be easily dismissed. Division can come in many forms. Out of this passage we can justify the belief that only “we” are the chosen ones of God. But this interpretation, while tempting to some, is not the Jesus we come to know in the Gospels. But what then are we to do with division?
A clue to what might be going on is to look at the framing of the parings. Jesus is not saying that he came to bring division among people of different faith or nation. Jesus did not say he came to bring division between neighbors or communities. The division that Jesus brings is in families and more specifically among generations. Look closely at the divisions and it comes in a family. Mothers and daughters, Fathers and Sons, mother-in-law, and daughter-in-law, each one of these pairings provide a specific familial and generation struggle.
Frankly, this does not provide us any better ground on which to stand. At the heart of the passage is still this issue of division and division between generations. However, it is a story we actually know well. Today there is a great deal of struggle between the generations and the church needs to study these carefully. There are seismic changes afoot, from the political, economic, religious, and cultural landscape. If you look at the generational attitudes on race, politics, gender, sexuality and economics, it is clear that our world is not going to look the same in a few short years. Most of the arguments that dominate the headlines under the topic of the “cultural war,” do not matter to those under forty-five. In other words, the culture war is over but those most vocally fighting just do not know it yet.
These changes, as changes often do, have led to a backlash of fear and anger. This is true inside as well as outside the church. So what does that mean for us? How should we respond? The first thing to remember is that this sort of seismic shift is not new and it will not be the last. That does not mean we can put our heads in the sand and believe the church has always and will always be around. While that is true, the church as we know it, is an endanger specie and will not last.
On a more accessible scale, right here at Westminster, it means that we need not just to recognize our differences in all its forms, but to investigate what they mean. Everyone is not the same nor do they have them same experiences, understandings, tastes, desires, and hopes. When we worship, some of us believe worship is a solitary quiet experience that is well ordered so that speech is to happen at “proper” times. Others feel the movement of the spirit and are moved to respond in speech or with clapping. There has to be a place for all these expressions of faith. Each comes from a deep spiritual well that needs to be acknowledged, and welcomed so that each can exist in side-by-side. In doing so we can move beyond the surprised look that gets interpreted as condescension of lack of welcome. We have to listen and share with one another.
However, with all the talk of change, the good news is that many things have, and will, stay the same. At the heart of our faith is the sharing of meals, study of scripture, serving others, being generous with our resources, and worshipping God. While the shape and form has been in flux for two-thousand years, the content has remained the same. As we face these new seismic shifts we need to make this our central focus. Being disciples is our sole responsibility and our calling. And when Jesus talks about bring division; I believe it has everything to do with the flexibility of shape and the constancy of content. He knows that divisions will arise and we need to figure out what is essential and what is worth our energy and passion. Jesus says, look out… every generation is going to come along and stir things up. Our job is to make sure they get the content. Worship, shared meals, scripture, generosity and service. Change is coming… let us make sure we have a hand in passing along the most enduring parts of our faith and not another example of generational strife. That is the best of what Westminster really is all about. And for that, I give thanks and say: Amen.
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Keeping the Light On
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
August 8th 2010
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
Luke 12:32-40
“Keeping the Light On”
“Keep your lamps trimmed and burning.” The old spiritual is a powerful reminder of the need for endurance in the life of faith. And every time I read this scripture I am drawn back to that song. It has been in my head all week. But, for the first time something new occurred to me. I am actually not sure that the image of keeping a lamp burning is simply a metaphor for endurance in discipleship. Instead, I think keeping the burning lamp is about something deeper.
A few years ago the Purpose Driven Life was all the rage. The appeal of that series was the way it fed the hunger many people have to live more fulfilling lives, lives of purpose. The size of the self-help section in most bookstores is a testament to this. But this hunger is more than simply a modern fad. Sewn into the fabric of our being is the need for purpose. This hunger is not foreign to our faith. When Jesus said keep your lamps burning, he is talking about our purpose and passion.
That may seem like I am accommodating to the modern desire for self-fulfillment and self-knowledge above all else. John Calvin, one of the early reformers and foreparent of the Presbyterian tradition, begins his great theological work, the institutes, with what might sound rather trendy. The knowledge of God begins with the knowledge of self, and the knowledge of self begins with the knowledge of God. The journey to self understanding is not a selfish journey. In the process of this journey, we learn that we are made to be in relationship with others. The greatest commandment is that we love our neighbors as ourselves. So in order to love and serve our neighbors we have to begin by loving ourselves. It really is about keeping our lamps burning. But how do we do that?
We do this by taking time to get to know ourselves better. Being a child of God means we have been created to be ourselves. We are not called to be anything other than who God created us to be. But, all our lives life we are told we are not enough simply as we are. As a result we learn to put on masks: Masks of arrogance that cover our insecurities, masks of joy that cover deep pains, masks of energy that cover a flame long since extinguished. We all wear masks and we all play roles and the problem comes when the masks we wear and the role we play no longer resembles the person we are inside. But that is not the calling of our lives; we have been created for more.
Finding and nurturing our flame does not involve a major life change or a journey around the world. It usually begins with simple yet profound questions: Where is your heart? Where is your joy? What puts a smile on your face? In the answer to those questions is the answer to a greater question. And that question is this: What is your treasure? The answer to that question makes feeding our flame a great deal easier. So if it is so easy, why are we all not doing it? I think the answer lies in the fear, fear of what we might find out. That is why Jesus begins by saying: “Do not fear!”
Jesus knew the result of a life based on fear. Lives based on fear become small. Fear makes our lives small, it makes our actions, and our thoughts small. Fear preys upon our energy our lives, our vitality. Fear will lead us to fight and to defend the really insignificant. Fear blurs our vision so that we end up spending our lives are in the service of other treasures and other masters. It is not something that happens all at once. Mostly it is a step by step, year by year happening and then, one day, that little flame, the light, the energy, the passion is gone. It has been snuffed out by all the insignificant things, ideas, and turf we are trying to protect.
Writer Anne Rice has left the institutional church. Her reasons are simple. She is disgusted by a church which has become small. The church she knows operates out of fear. It fights over money, leadership, custom, race, sexuality, worship style, clothing choice. The Jesus she met in church has been pushed out in favor of turf war and purity. The church which is called to nurture the flame, the passions of the faithful is instead busy sorting out who is faithful, who is pure, who is worthy, who is welcome. As a result all of our energy is spent carving out our turf, collecting allies in the parking lot after a meeting, and making sure everyone knows WE are right.
People are hungry for meaning and purpose and Jesus knows that. It is the church that has a hard time with this message. Instead of waiting faithfully for Jesus return our lights have gone cold and we have gone to sleep. But the good news is that there is more to our faith than what gets published in the news. God has created each one of use for a purpose. The calling is a journey of joy and fulfillment not of self denial and boredom. We are called to live big lives doing great things – even doing what some might think are routine things. But routine things done with a purpose are great. We are not destined to be stuck on the small and insignificant stuff.
Keep your flame burning… What is your great joy? Where do you find energy and passion? When you seek those questions and feed those hungers, it is then that you will come face to face with the one who is coming again. This is the calling, this is our purpose. So let us challenge one another to put aside the small ways, and things for the greater joy. Amen? Amen!
August 8th 2010
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
Luke 12:32-40
“Keeping the Light On”
“Keep your lamps trimmed and burning.” The old spiritual is a powerful reminder of the need for endurance in the life of faith. And every time I read this scripture I am drawn back to that song. It has been in my head all week. But, for the first time something new occurred to me. I am actually not sure that the image of keeping a lamp burning is simply a metaphor for endurance in discipleship. Instead, I think keeping the burning lamp is about something deeper.
A few years ago the Purpose Driven Life was all the rage. The appeal of that series was the way it fed the hunger many people have to live more fulfilling lives, lives of purpose. The size of the self-help section in most bookstores is a testament to this. But this hunger is more than simply a modern fad. Sewn into the fabric of our being is the need for purpose. This hunger is not foreign to our faith. When Jesus said keep your lamps burning, he is talking about our purpose and passion.
That may seem like I am accommodating to the modern desire for self-fulfillment and self-knowledge above all else. John Calvin, one of the early reformers and foreparent of the Presbyterian tradition, begins his great theological work, the institutes, with what might sound rather trendy. The knowledge of God begins with the knowledge of self, and the knowledge of self begins with the knowledge of God. The journey to self understanding is not a selfish journey. In the process of this journey, we learn that we are made to be in relationship with others. The greatest commandment is that we love our neighbors as ourselves. So in order to love and serve our neighbors we have to begin by loving ourselves. It really is about keeping our lamps burning. But how do we do that?
We do this by taking time to get to know ourselves better. Being a child of God means we have been created to be ourselves. We are not called to be anything other than who God created us to be. But, all our lives life we are told we are not enough simply as we are. As a result we learn to put on masks: Masks of arrogance that cover our insecurities, masks of joy that cover deep pains, masks of energy that cover a flame long since extinguished. We all wear masks and we all play roles and the problem comes when the masks we wear and the role we play no longer resembles the person we are inside. But that is not the calling of our lives; we have been created for more.
Finding and nurturing our flame does not involve a major life change or a journey around the world. It usually begins with simple yet profound questions: Where is your heart? Where is your joy? What puts a smile on your face? In the answer to those questions is the answer to a greater question. And that question is this: What is your treasure? The answer to that question makes feeding our flame a great deal easier. So if it is so easy, why are we all not doing it? I think the answer lies in the fear, fear of what we might find out. That is why Jesus begins by saying: “Do not fear!”
Jesus knew the result of a life based on fear. Lives based on fear become small. Fear makes our lives small, it makes our actions, and our thoughts small. Fear preys upon our energy our lives, our vitality. Fear will lead us to fight and to defend the really insignificant. Fear blurs our vision so that we end up spending our lives are in the service of other treasures and other masters. It is not something that happens all at once. Mostly it is a step by step, year by year happening and then, one day, that little flame, the light, the energy, the passion is gone. It has been snuffed out by all the insignificant things, ideas, and turf we are trying to protect.
Writer Anne Rice has left the institutional church. Her reasons are simple. She is disgusted by a church which has become small. The church she knows operates out of fear. It fights over money, leadership, custom, race, sexuality, worship style, clothing choice. The Jesus she met in church has been pushed out in favor of turf war and purity. The church which is called to nurture the flame, the passions of the faithful is instead busy sorting out who is faithful, who is pure, who is worthy, who is welcome. As a result all of our energy is spent carving out our turf, collecting allies in the parking lot after a meeting, and making sure everyone knows WE are right.
People are hungry for meaning and purpose and Jesus knows that. It is the church that has a hard time with this message. Instead of waiting faithfully for Jesus return our lights have gone cold and we have gone to sleep. But the good news is that there is more to our faith than what gets published in the news. God has created each one of use for a purpose. The calling is a journey of joy and fulfillment not of self denial and boredom. We are called to live big lives doing great things – even doing what some might think are routine things. But routine things done with a purpose are great. We are not destined to be stuck on the small and insignificant stuff.
Keep your flame burning… What is your great joy? Where do you find energy and passion? When you seek those questions and feed those hungers, it is then that you will come face to face with the one who is coming again. This is the calling, this is our purpose. So let us challenge one another to put aside the small ways, and things for the greater joy. Amen? Amen!
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Possessed by Possessions
WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
August 1st 2010
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
Luke 12:13-21
“Possessed by Possessions”
… greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of humankind.
These words come from the movie Wall Street which meant to show the excesses of the market speculation of the early 1990’s. The character who spoke these words, Gordon Gecko, was a ruthless man who did whatever was necessary to accumulate more wealth. These words are the very antithesis of our scripture from this morning.
The easy thing to do with interpreting this scripture would be to lift up people who fit in the model of Gordon Gecko. We could look for modern day Robber Barons. There are many. However, in doing so it becomes easy to throw stones at those who have a lot of money. In the process the scripture is then used as a tool that other people need to listen to and it carries little message for us.
The great danger for those of us who claim to follow Jesus is not that we are misers with our money. And neither is the man who asked Jesus to intervene on his behalf. We have no indication that this gentleman is asking something so terrible. And yet, Jesus tells this story which makes it seem like all wealth is bad. Is this what Jesus is doing? If so, it is a story that means little to any of us other than as a rock to hurl at others. I believe Jesus has a deeper story to tell which has very implications for our lives.
If there is a driving theme in this scripture it is that we are called to use and understand our resources as tools for serving and glorifying God. When the man asked Jesus for help, he is asking that the money be given to him. While he might be well within his legal right, he is doing so from the wrong perspective. The money is mine, I am entitled to it, and no one else better touch it. His way of thinking is based on a flawed theology which says that God is clearly on the side of making sure people keep their own money. The motivation behind this request is self-serving. And that is what Jesus is challenging.
In the parable, a man works very hard and receives a huge abundance. He has so much stuff that he has to build bigger barns. All of his energy and creativity goes into protecting what belongs to him. Once this task is accomplished he decides to live out his days enjoying himself in leisure. A lifetime luxury vacation is his goal. The mindset of this man is completely driven by self-interest. It is his grain, his land, his work, his to do with what he wants. And no one is going to tell him otherwise. Again, the motivation is self-serving. It is the elevation of self that Jesus is preaching against.
Jesus, in this text, does not say that money is evil or that we should not plan well with our resources. What he is saying is that we must do so out of a sense of the common good. Being rich in God is the term he uses. In order to get this point we need to spend some time there. The comment is not simply about protecting ones’ soul; it is about living out kingdom values on earth. Jesus’ ministry of healing and restoration focuses on bringing the individual back into community. Solitary individuals do not fare well and Jesus seeks them out and brings them back. Acting out of self-interest alienates one from others and in the long run is not really in ones’ best self-interest.
A modern contrast might be the difference between billionaire Warren Buffet who seeks to give away his entire fortune to good causes before he dies and the first billionaire who was able to, during the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression, pass his fortune to his family tax free. While Buffet is not doing his work because of faith, he is an example of the importance of the common good. Jesus does not stand against planning for the future. He is not saying money is of no consequence. Instead, he is saying it is of little consequence particularly when its accumulation is driven by self-interest.
As Christians, the purpose of our resources and possessions are to glorify God. That is a statement I am sure we can all agree with. However, what will that look like in action? Sit down this week with your check book, or online if you no longer use paper. Look over the last month, three months, six months, and a year. As you look back over how you use your resources just ask this simple question: “Does this expense glorify God?” Sometimes the answer will be clear. Other times you may have to ponder a bit. I would focus most on the areas where you have to stop and think. It is in those places where we have the most to learn.
This is true in all areas of our financial lives. Not just in our expenditures but in our saving as well. Jesus is not saying that money should not be saved. But saved for what purpose? Is it to provide for you needs as well as the needs of others? That should be the goal. Just remember, the man in the parable saved only so that he could rest comfortably without a thought to giving to others. The calling is not to deny ourselves but to move beyond ourselves and care for others.
Yesterday I took my oldest daughter to see Toy Story 3. If you have not, and do not intend to see it, that is alright you will get the point. The basis of the story is that a young boy, Andy, has grown up and no longer plays with his toys. These toys are worried about what will happen and hope that they will be placed in the attic where at least they will be safe. However these toys, that come to life whenever humans are not in the room, really want to be played with more than anything else.
In the final scene of the movie Andy is preparing to go off to college. Instead of placing the toys in his attic he does something rather simple yet amazing. Andy takes this box of his favorite toys, to a young girl who will love and care for them. The girl is ecstatic when Andy begins to share his prized childhood possessions. However, Andy had intended to keep his favorite toy Woody. Unknown to Andy, Woody had placed himself in the bottom of the box when he was not looking. When the little girl finds Woody at the bottom she is filled with joy. At this point Andy is conflicted. He wanted to keep this one favorite toy as a memento even though he would not play with it anymore. But seeing the joy on this girls face, and remembering the joy he received from this toy Andy decides to let her have Woody. It is a moment of maturity, of moving beyond his wants and desires he releases his favorite possession so that this young child might also know joy. To this modern parable, Jesus would say: Amen!
August 1st 2010
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
Luke 12:13-21
“Possessed by Possessions”
… greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of humankind.
These words come from the movie Wall Street which meant to show the excesses of the market speculation of the early 1990’s. The character who spoke these words, Gordon Gecko, was a ruthless man who did whatever was necessary to accumulate more wealth. These words are the very antithesis of our scripture from this morning.
The easy thing to do with interpreting this scripture would be to lift up people who fit in the model of Gordon Gecko. We could look for modern day Robber Barons. There are many. However, in doing so it becomes easy to throw stones at those who have a lot of money. In the process the scripture is then used as a tool that other people need to listen to and it carries little message for us.
The great danger for those of us who claim to follow Jesus is not that we are misers with our money. And neither is the man who asked Jesus to intervene on his behalf. We have no indication that this gentleman is asking something so terrible. And yet, Jesus tells this story which makes it seem like all wealth is bad. Is this what Jesus is doing? If so, it is a story that means little to any of us other than as a rock to hurl at others. I believe Jesus has a deeper story to tell which has very implications for our lives.
If there is a driving theme in this scripture it is that we are called to use and understand our resources as tools for serving and glorifying God. When the man asked Jesus for help, he is asking that the money be given to him. While he might be well within his legal right, he is doing so from the wrong perspective. The money is mine, I am entitled to it, and no one else better touch it. His way of thinking is based on a flawed theology which says that God is clearly on the side of making sure people keep their own money. The motivation behind this request is self-serving. And that is what Jesus is challenging.
In the parable, a man works very hard and receives a huge abundance. He has so much stuff that he has to build bigger barns. All of his energy and creativity goes into protecting what belongs to him. Once this task is accomplished he decides to live out his days enjoying himself in leisure. A lifetime luxury vacation is his goal. The mindset of this man is completely driven by self-interest. It is his grain, his land, his work, his to do with what he wants. And no one is going to tell him otherwise. Again, the motivation is self-serving. It is the elevation of self that Jesus is preaching against.
Jesus, in this text, does not say that money is evil or that we should not plan well with our resources. What he is saying is that we must do so out of a sense of the common good. Being rich in God is the term he uses. In order to get this point we need to spend some time there. The comment is not simply about protecting ones’ soul; it is about living out kingdom values on earth. Jesus’ ministry of healing and restoration focuses on bringing the individual back into community. Solitary individuals do not fare well and Jesus seeks them out and brings them back. Acting out of self-interest alienates one from others and in the long run is not really in ones’ best self-interest.
A modern contrast might be the difference between billionaire Warren Buffet who seeks to give away his entire fortune to good causes before he dies and the first billionaire who was able to, during the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression, pass his fortune to his family tax free. While Buffet is not doing his work because of faith, he is an example of the importance of the common good. Jesus does not stand against planning for the future. He is not saying money is of no consequence. Instead, he is saying it is of little consequence particularly when its accumulation is driven by self-interest.
As Christians, the purpose of our resources and possessions are to glorify God. That is a statement I am sure we can all agree with. However, what will that look like in action? Sit down this week with your check book, or online if you no longer use paper. Look over the last month, three months, six months, and a year. As you look back over how you use your resources just ask this simple question: “Does this expense glorify God?” Sometimes the answer will be clear. Other times you may have to ponder a bit. I would focus most on the areas where you have to stop and think. It is in those places where we have the most to learn.
This is true in all areas of our financial lives. Not just in our expenditures but in our saving as well. Jesus is not saying that money should not be saved. But saved for what purpose? Is it to provide for you needs as well as the needs of others? That should be the goal. Just remember, the man in the parable saved only so that he could rest comfortably without a thought to giving to others. The calling is not to deny ourselves but to move beyond ourselves and care for others.
Yesterday I took my oldest daughter to see Toy Story 3. If you have not, and do not intend to see it, that is alright you will get the point. The basis of the story is that a young boy, Andy, has grown up and no longer plays with his toys. These toys are worried about what will happen and hope that they will be placed in the attic where at least they will be safe. However these toys, that come to life whenever humans are not in the room, really want to be played with more than anything else.
In the final scene of the movie Andy is preparing to go off to college. Instead of placing the toys in his attic he does something rather simple yet amazing. Andy takes this box of his favorite toys, to a young girl who will love and care for them. The girl is ecstatic when Andy begins to share his prized childhood possessions. However, Andy had intended to keep his favorite toy Woody. Unknown to Andy, Woody had placed himself in the bottom of the box when he was not looking. When the little girl finds Woody at the bottom she is filled with joy. At this point Andy is conflicted. He wanted to keep this one favorite toy as a memento even though he would not play with it anymore. But seeing the joy on this girls face, and remembering the joy he received from this toy Andy decides to let her have Woody. It is a moment of maturity, of moving beyond his wants and desires he releases his favorite possession so that this young child might also know joy. To this modern parable, Jesus would say: Amen!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)