Today's readings: Ps 56, 149; Isa 66:1-6; 1 Tim 6:1-21; Mark 12:35-44
Today’s selection from Timothy is another example of the Lectionary skipping or making optional an “objectionable” section of the biblical text. Specifically, it omits 6:1-5, which contains instructions for slaves to respect their masters so others won’t find an opportunity to bad-mouth the faith. We may find such passages uncomfortable or embarrassing, and understandably so. But we must confront them head-on and place them in context or we provide an opportunity for others to mock the faith.
First, we must understand biblical descriptions of cultural practices are not the same thing as endorsements. Slavery was a reality of the time, and the faith unfolded in its presence. When the Bible denounces cultural practices, it almost always does so to prevent the assimilation of pagan practices which might dilute the faith. Sadly, slavery existed among Jews and Christians and did not present a cultural threat.
Second, especially when we read the epistles, we must remember the Bible includes opinion, allegory, myth, poetry and parable. Even the books that are meant to be historical contain the same biases as any history text: the “winners” get to tell the story. The books that made the “final cut” did so because they have specific messages to convey. The author of 1 Timothy was concerned about how Christians comported themselves, not about the morality of slavery.
Third, we shouldn’t try to “explain away” the objectionable passages. Slavery is wrong, and the Bible does not say so. However, the abolition of slavery in England, America and other countries was driven by a specifically Christian agenda, in direct opposition to those who used the Bible to justify slavery. Rather than making excuses that fit our present sensibilities, we should embrace the idea that the faith continues to grow and evolve, and that God still shows us new ways to build his kingdom.
Slavery is just one example of how the Christian faith has matured beyond accepted social conventions. Biblical justification of any type of oppression has invariably been on the wrong side of history. On the other hand, faith helped end slavery and promote civil rights. If we use our faith to oppress, silence or exclude, what side are we on?
Comfort: God always moves us toward freedom and love.
Challenge: Ask yourself which of your beliefs might need challenged.
Prayer: God of Strength, give me conviction to correct my own thinking.
Evening reading: Ps 118, 111
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Our Neighbors, Ourselves
Today's readings: Ps 130, 148; Isa 65:17-25; 1 Tim 5:17-22; Mark 12:28-34
When the Jewish scribes asked Jesus which was the greatest commandment, he replied “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). He also volunteered the second most important: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (v 31). The scribes hadn’t asked him for the top two, so he must have felt very strongly about how we love our neighbors. We should note that in this statement is an implicit assumption that we do indeed love ourselves. As Christians, we are not always comfortable expressing a healthy love of self.
When we proclaim “I love my neighbor!” most people approve that sentiment. However, if we proclaim just as boldly “I love myself!” we can expect considerably less enthusiasm. But if God wants us to love our neighbors extravagantly, and we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, doesn’t logic say God wants us to love ourselves just as extravagantly? God loves us as much as he loves our neighbors. Can we do less?
Sadly, overt love of self is often mistaken for pride. We are allowed to celebrate the gifts and talents of others, but we are expected to be demure – often unnecessarily so – about our own. Why wouldn’t we celebrate the gifts, talents and traits our Creator has bestowed upon us? Certainly we don’t want to boast or elevate ourselves above others, but neither do we want to engage in the kind of self-talk that tells us we are less worthy, less beautiful or less loved in our creator’s eyes than is anyone else. Quite the opposite: if we are to love others as God expects us to, we must understand what it is to be loved.
Sometimes loving ourselves means being honest about our own shortcomings, but doing so in a way that builds us up rather than tears us down. For instance, if we need to make changes to improve our health we don’t do it by telling ourselves how terrible we are, but by recognizing our bodies are beautiful gifts from God that deserve the proper care and maintenance. Loving ourselves means unashamedly appreciating the gifts we have, and doing our best to honor and tend them.
Comfort: God wants us to love ourselves, because God loves us.
Challenge: Make a list of qualities you like about yourself.
Prayer: God of Strength, thank you for all my gifts.
Evening readings: Ps 32, 139
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 56, 149; Isa 66:1-6; 1 Tim 6:6-21; Mark 12:35-44
When the Jewish scribes asked Jesus which was the greatest commandment, he replied “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). He also volunteered the second most important: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (v 31). The scribes hadn’t asked him for the top two, so he must have felt very strongly about how we love our neighbors. We should note that in this statement is an implicit assumption that we do indeed love ourselves. As Christians, we are not always comfortable expressing a healthy love of self.
When we proclaim “I love my neighbor!” most people approve that sentiment. However, if we proclaim just as boldly “I love myself!” we can expect considerably less enthusiasm. But if God wants us to love our neighbors extravagantly, and we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, doesn’t logic say God wants us to love ourselves just as extravagantly? God loves us as much as he loves our neighbors. Can we do less?
Sadly, overt love of self is often mistaken for pride. We are allowed to celebrate the gifts and talents of others, but we are expected to be demure – often unnecessarily so – about our own. Why wouldn’t we celebrate the gifts, talents and traits our Creator has bestowed upon us? Certainly we don’t want to boast or elevate ourselves above others, but neither do we want to engage in the kind of self-talk that tells us we are less worthy, less beautiful or less loved in our creator’s eyes than is anyone else. Quite the opposite: if we are to love others as God expects us to, we must understand what it is to be loved.
Sometimes loving ourselves means being honest about our own shortcomings, but doing so in a way that builds us up rather than tears us down. For instance, if we need to make changes to improve our health we don’t do it by telling ourselves how terrible we are, but by recognizing our bodies are beautiful gifts from God that deserve the proper care and maintenance. Loving ourselves means unashamedly appreciating the gifts we have, and doing our best to honor and tend them.
Comfort: God wants us to love ourselves, because God loves us.
Challenge: Make a list of qualities you like about yourself.
Prayer: God of Strength, thank you for all my gifts.
Evening readings: Ps 32, 139
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 56, 149; Isa 66:1-6; 1 Tim 6:6-21; Mark 12:35-44
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Spiritual Exercise
Today's readings: Ps 36, 147:12-20; Isa 65:1-12; 1 Tim 4:1-16; Mark 12:13-27
In his first letter to Timothy, Paul encourages the disciples to “train yourselves in Godliness” (4:7a). The Greek word translated as “train” is also the word for physical exercise. Like physical health, spiritual health is something we can improve with the proper nourishment and exercise.
A good doctor steers people away from fad diets and workout regimens that promise much and deliver little – or even cause damage. As our spiritual doctor, Paul warns the disciples to avoid fads like asceticism and celibacy which distract from true spiritual well-being. Instead he prescribes the basics of scripture, teaching and conduct that will nourish them best. Today we need to be just as careful to avoid trendy practices and beliefs that distract us from what we really need to do. Just as there is no magic belt that will melt away love handles in your sleep, there is no substitute for regular spiritual discipline.
Spiritual fitness has other similarities to physical fitness. Both result in incremental improvements over extended periods of time. As one-time (or even one-time-a-month) trips to the gym won’t turn your arms into steel bands, neither will isolated or sporadic instances of prayer or other disciplines develop your spiritual muscles. Furthermore, exercise of either variety is performed to develop strength and endurance. No one who begins a marathon without first putting in the proper time to train will make it to the end, and no one who waits until a crisis to pray is likely to endure spiritually. We exercise not for what we need today, but for what we hope to accomplish in the future.
Finally, we must exercise for the right reasons. Wanting to look good for others is a bad motivator for working out, and rarely leads to sustained success. Practicing spiritual disciplines to impress others or to get God to love you more are also poor motivators. Others don’t matter, and God already loves you as much as He ever will. Diet and physical exercise are about developing healthy relationships with our bodies, and spiritual exercise and discipline are about health relationships with God.
Comfort: Spiritual health, like a marathon, begins with a single step.
Challenge: Find a spiritual discipline (prayer, meditation, scripture, etc.) that works for you, and practice it regularly.
Prayer: God of strength, I dedicate myself to spiritual health.
Evening readings: Ps 80, 27
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 130, 148; Isa 65:17-25; 1 Tim 5:1-25; Mark 12:28-34
In his first letter to Timothy, Paul encourages the disciples to “train yourselves in Godliness” (4:7a). The Greek word translated as “train” is also the word for physical exercise. Like physical health, spiritual health is something we can improve with the proper nourishment and exercise.
A good doctor steers people away from fad diets and workout regimens that promise much and deliver little – or even cause damage. As our spiritual doctor, Paul warns the disciples to avoid fads like asceticism and celibacy which distract from true spiritual well-being. Instead he prescribes the basics of scripture, teaching and conduct that will nourish them best. Today we need to be just as careful to avoid trendy practices and beliefs that distract us from what we really need to do. Just as there is no magic belt that will melt away love handles in your sleep, there is no substitute for regular spiritual discipline.
Spiritual fitness has other similarities to physical fitness. Both result in incremental improvements over extended periods of time. As one-time (or even one-time-a-month) trips to the gym won’t turn your arms into steel bands, neither will isolated or sporadic instances of prayer or other disciplines develop your spiritual muscles. Furthermore, exercise of either variety is performed to develop strength and endurance. No one who begins a marathon without first putting in the proper time to train will make it to the end, and no one who waits until a crisis to pray is likely to endure spiritually. We exercise not for what we need today, but for what we hope to accomplish in the future.
Finally, we must exercise for the right reasons. Wanting to look good for others is a bad motivator for working out, and rarely leads to sustained success. Practicing spiritual disciplines to impress others or to get God to love you more are also poor motivators. Others don’t matter, and God already loves you as much as He ever will. Diet and physical exercise are about developing healthy relationships with our bodies, and spiritual exercise and discipline are about health relationships with God.
Comfort: Spiritual health, like a marathon, begins with a single step.
Challenge: Find a spiritual discipline (prayer, meditation, scripture, etc.) that works for you, and practice it regularly.
Prayer: God of strength, I dedicate myself to spiritual health.
Evening readings: Ps 80, 27
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 130, 148; Isa 65:17-25; 1 Tim 5:1-25; Mark 12:28-34
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