Mission Faithwalk

              Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Jesus Christ took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)           Lord, how does a person work toward becoming “like Christ” without spending all one’s time focusing inward on oneself?  How does one balance inward and outward life?           About a week ago, I wrote the second quote above in response to something I had read or thought. The problem, of course, is my mental examination table and my tendency to spend a great deal of time fussing over how exhibit Me, or some small aspect of ...

                      No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (I Corinthians 10:13)           Are you as disappointed by the first line of today’s passage as I am? It’s comforting in a way, but the drama queen in me wants my temptation, my drama to be award winning. I simultaneously want to be invisible, but to have others notice and value me. If my temptations are mass produced on an assembly line, I’m just a cheap bit of refuse rather than something to be repurposed, reused, recycled, reclaimed, redeemed, rescued, or otherwise valued.           Of course, if my temptations were one-of-a-kind, they wouldn’t be relevant or relatable. The fact tha...

  Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. (Philippians 2:14-16”) “OK, God, get me moving…” There are mornings when I grumble as I get out of bed. I sound like someone trying to start a motor that just won’t catch. “Help, God. Left…right…hup, two, three, four.” Grumble, grumble, grumble. I am working on doing this less, but there are body parts that grumble at me, and sometimes it helps if I grumble back. And as my body and mind start, I get into gear and I don’t think I grumble, or at least not as much. Then, of course, there is the whining. Paul didn’t mention whining, but I suspect it’s a form of arguing, or flat-out rebellion. “I caa – aan’t.” We’re not even talking one-syllable. ...

                 One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.” (Job 1:6-7)   For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. (Galatians 5:14-15) There’s a major gathering of angels and Satan shows up. Why would Satan show up? Why would the angels at the gate let him in? Why didn’t God attack him, bind him, throw him in hell, or whatever? How do you read the Job passage above?  Did God say, “Hey, have a seat. Want some coffee? Where’ve you been?” Or is it closer to the tone of a mother? “Where have you been? I’ve been calling you for the past century! Just look at you....

            To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)           I can’t quite claim that this passage is “nonmagical.” It is, but I think a better description is that it’s universal and basic. If we hold to anyone’s teachings, we are their disciples because that’s what a disciple is: a person who follows teachings. If you follow the teachings of Christ,  you’re a disciple of Christ. If you follow the teaching of the Buddha, or Mohammed, Bart Simpson, or either Dr. or Mr. Spock,  you are their disciples. If you try to follow the teachings of more than one teacher, unless their teachings are identical, you aren’t a disciple of either.           The other part that isn’t magical is that the truth will set you free...

                 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. (I John 4:20-21) I felt the need to check an interlinear Bible, to look at the Greek as well as the word-for-word translation, centering on the words “a brother or sister.” First, of course, “or sister” wasn’t there because brother was understood in a universal sense that took in both male and female. But that wasn’t what I was looking for. I wanted to know about the article. The NIV says “ a brother.” The interlinear says “ the brother of him. ” So, the NIV version is “his brother” made politically correct. And I’m not criticizing, just verifying. So, keeping in mind that the sibling language was used to indicate fellow Christians, it come...

                 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of  r econciliation: God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. (II Corinthians 5:18-20)             Sometimes, I think we see evangelism as a contest, as if every person we “win” to Christ shows up as a point in our favor on some celestial scoreboard. Years ago, a Christian I know was approached at work by an evangelist. When she declined to follow his script, he and his friend basically shook the dust off their sandals and declared themselves free of blame for her fate. I suspect many who share their faith are...

            So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28)           Maybe it’s because I’m an Introvert. Maybe it’s because I’m of a certain political persuasion. Maybe it’s because I have been studying passages like today’s. It could even be because I was raised in the 60s and 70s. It could be something else entirely. Whatever it is, I tend to think that how a person thinks and what a person believes is ultimately more connected to who they are than one’s race, ethnicity, class, or gender/sexual preferences. And in a sense, those who disagree with me prove my point, because they believe that those things are more important than anything else.  ...

              But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep His covenant and remember His precepts to do them. (Psalm 103:17)           What these verses, together with the verses from the last two days is that God is leaving a legacy. But the legacy God gives is not the sort of legacy given to Trust Fund Babies. It is not a legacy that produces people who are shallow, entitled, narcissistic, and nihilistic. Instead, it is meant to teach us to love God and other people properly. While some will disagree because they don’t understand what the idea entails, it is meant to make us more like God, not less.           And that may give us the clues we need. Leaving a legacy is about lovingkindness, not only to the immedia...

                 When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, then he gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too, is vanity and a great evil. (Ecclesiastes 2:21) This verse brings to mind a term we don’t hear as much as we used to: Trust Fund Baby. At one point, it referred to someone whose parents or grandparents set up a fund so that the child would never have to work. Generally speaking, these trust fund babies were depicted as shallow, entitled, narcissistic, and nihilistic. Unfortunately, I don’t think the trust fund babies disappeared. I think the malady spread to a larger chunk of the population, even among those whose parents and grandparents couldn’t afford to set up such a fund. And if the parents or grandparents can’t afford it, they expect the government to step in. And the man in the verse above refers to the parents or grandparents who labored with wisdom, knowledge, and sk...

             A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children. And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.  (Proverbs 13:22)             Legacy : 1) Money or property you receive from someone after they die; 2) Something that remains from part of your history or that remains from a previous time.             Originally, legacy was associated with a rank or position that was delegated. There might, or might not, be land or wealth involved, but the title or responsibility were. Today, it seems to have more to do with a contribution to the general good, or the basis on which one’s reputation after death is based. There doesn’t seem to be much in Scripture that speaks of a legacy. Tomorrow’s verse is the only one that uses the word. But there are a few references to “children’s children,” starting with today’s....

  It shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood  shall be  on his own head, and we  shall be  free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood  shall be  on our head if a hand is  laid  on him. (Joshua 2:19) The Lord will return his blood on his own head, because he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he and killed them with the sword, while my father David did not know  it : Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. (I Kings 2:32) then hear from heaven and act and judge Your servants, punishing the wicked by bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness. (II Chronicles 6:23) His mischief will ...

                 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate . (Proverbs 31:30-31) Today’s passage tells us that the things the world tends to think are vital to women’s lives, the ability to delight, please, or manipulate others, and beauty, aren’t as important as fearing the Lord. The world also tells us that fearing the Lord is being phobic or living in constant terror. But fear also means to revere Him, which means to respect Him. What does that mean? The short answer is that she loves the Lord her God with all her heart, soul, mind, and strength and loves her neighbor as herself. The longer version is that she lives in a way that gives those around her confidence that she will do them good. She takes an interest in her life and fulfills her responsibilities. She take...

                 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” (Proverbs 31:28-29) One of the problems immediate family members have is that, quite often they know the others in their family too well. Oh, if we are polite or loyal, we’re likely to be mildly positive or silent about those we know best. Some of us might even heap on praise because their looking good makes us look good or our praise makes us look good. See what good relatives we are? Granted, some people consider me jaded or cynical, but what would you think about someone who regularly told you what a bad job their parents did in raising them, or that they were rather pathetic? Now, the king’s mother may have been one of those perpetually positive, over-the-top sorts, especially when giving advice, but let’s go with it. What is needed to earn this sort of praise – honestly? Let’s s...

           She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. (Proverbs 31:26-27) Ah, WDA (Wisdom, Direction, and Attitude) in action. My favorite prayer is answered in this woman. What comes out of her mouth is worth listening to, but she doesn’t just tell others how to live their lives, she lives what she speaks.  We don’t learn to be like her by paying for a webinar. We learn by the way she lives.Granted, she didn’t have social media vampires living in her home, but the gossip machine existed in a more basic form. Instead, she not only didn’t join in the gossip, but she also gave them very little to gossip about. “Yep, Ruby’s house was in order today. Did you know she bought a shovel to replace the one that snapped in half? She made 12 sashes for the businessmen. Her attire was practical, well-made, clean, discrete, and in good condition. Not o...

                 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. (Proverbs 31:23) Oh, I can hear the feminists groaning already.  Part of what makes her a Proverbs 31 woman is the social status of her husband? I admit, as a single, I feel a little uncomfortable with this. But what’s really being said here? This verse is in the middle of the verses shared yesterday. It’s in between the clothing in scarlet and purple and in strength and dignity. In a sense, then, one might say her husband is, by his connection with her, clothed in scarlet, purple, strength, and dignity. And she is, by her connection with him, respected in the city gate and among the elders/rulers of the land. Those who go to the city gate (effectively the courthouse of the day) didn’t have to worry about this husband’s wife or children being involved in the incidents over which the elders judged, or that he wo...

            She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.   She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple…She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. (Proverbs 31:20-22, 24-25) Have you ever heard the saying that the cobbler’s children have no shoes? I’ve heard a story of an obstetrician who didn’t realize that his wife was pregnant. Sometimes, those who are closest to us aren’t given the attention that we give to those who are customers, neighbors, or otherwise “important.” The Proverbs 31 woman doesn’t do this. Yes, she helps the poor and needy. Yes, she makes and sells linen garments and sashes for merchants. But she also clothes her household in scarlet, and herself in fine linen and purple. S...

                 She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night . She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hands grasp the spindle. (Proverbs 13:15-19) Once again, it might be easy to see this woman as a workaholic, and she certainly does get things done, but consider what kinds of things she gets done. She takes care of her family’s needs first thing. She gets things set for her staff. She considers possible investments of time, money, and energy and buys land, then plants a crop-producing garden. She sees that what she’s doing is having a desired outcome and doesn’t get bored and go to bed early, or vegetate in front of the TV or co...

                  She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. (Proverbs 31:13-14) As I noted yesterday, this passage is advice from the mother of the present or future king about what sort of wife to find. At the risk of dating myself, there’s a clip from Buck Rogers in the Twenty-Fifth Century that I wish I could find. In response to Buck’s command to her, Princess Ardala announces, “Princesses don’t start engines.” This is the picture of one end of the spectrum of choices. At the other end of the spectrum, there’s the picture more often seen as the Proverbs 31 woman, and an equally ancient advertisement that encapsulates it: the  Enjoli Ad .  After all, the person being taught about this paragon of womanhood is – or will be – king. Is the king’s wife really expected to get excited about spinning, weaving, sewing, and grocery shopping? Is she really su...