Tag: selfishness

Truth Stumbles in the Public Square (Isaiah 59:9-19)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

Therefore justice is far from us,
    and deliverance does not reach us;
we wait for light, but there is only darkness;
    and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
We grope like the blind along a wall,
    groping like those who have no eyes;
we stumble at noon as in the twilight,
    among the vigorous as though we were dead.
We all growl like bears;
    like doves we moan mournfully.
We wait for justice, but there is none;
    for salvation, but it is far from us.
For our transgressions before you are many,
    and our sins testify against us.
Our transgressions indeed are with us,
    and we know our iniquities:
transgressing and denying the Lord
    and turning away from following our God,
talking oppression and revolt,
    conceiving lying words and uttering them from the heart.
Justice is turned back,
    and deliverance stands at a distance,
for truth stumbles in the public square,
    and uprightness cannot enter.
Truth is lacking,
    and whoever turns from evil is despoiled.

The Lord saw it, and it displeased him
    that there was no justice.
He saw that there was no one
    and was appalled that there was no one to intervene,
so his own arm brought him victory,
    and his righteousness upheld him.
He put on righteousness like a breastplate
    and a helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing
    and wrapped himself in fury as in a mantle.
According to their deeds, so will he repay
    wrath to his adversaries, requital to his enemies;
    to the coastlands he will render requital.
So those in the west shall fear the name of the Lord,
    and those in the east, his glory,
for he will come like a pent-up stream
    that the wind of the Lord drives on. (New Revised Standard Version)

We in the United States of America are in a presidential election year. Soon Americans will be voting for their choice of president, as well as an array of federal, state, and local candidates on the ballot.

For many, these four year cycles of elections bring a lot of anxiety, dread, and perhaps most of all, anger. Television commercials and media outlets overflow with the most egregious forms of logical fallacies, and finger pointing, one could imagine.

According to the Pew Research Center, public trust in the U.S. federal government is at 22 percent. That figure is slightly up from 5-10 years ago when it hit an historic low of 15 percent. To put that in perspective, the public trust was at 73 percent in 1960, and 36 percent when Richard Nixon resigned from office due to the Watergate scandal.

In some ways, our contemporary situation is akin to the situation of ancient Judah when Isaiah was prophet. Peace and protection, justice and righteousness, were hard to come by. There was no real trust in government.

The Judeans of the time blamed everyone but themselves for their social and political troubles. They even blamed God. Citizens were not taking responsibility to effect good and right in the land.

It appears that nobody was accepting accountability for their own junk, and blaming God and others for their governmental woes. So, they turned away from each other, and God.

Politics, today as in Isaiah’s day, has become less about the vocation of statecraft and unselfish public servants promoting the welfare of citizens; it has become more about winning elections and possessing power. 

A party spirit rules the day, where, in the Unites States, Republicans and Democrats are more divided than ever with less and less ability to truly listen to one another in order to advance genuine justice, ethical righteousness, and social peace within both the nation and the world.

We, as citizens of both our local regions and of the world, must avoid getting sucked into the vortex of acrimonious speech and hate-filled rhetoric. 

Christians, especially those who desire to live and love like Jesus, need to be at the forefront of forsaking the hypocrisy of saying one thing and doing another; of envying power in order to satisfy personal agendas; and, of believing that malicious talk is justified if it accomplishes my wants and needs. 

We are not to keep looking for politicians, and everyone else whom we disagree with, to change. Rather, we ourselves are to practice repentance and allow the grace of God to transform and renew us. 

If what we speak in the public square is selfish and deceitful, we have no further to look than within, when it comes to turning from evil. A slow, careful, and serious reading of the prophet Isaiah becomes quite necessary. If it does not lead to repentance, we only have God’s displeasure to anticipate.

So, instead of continually insisting that others change or move over, let’s focus on us and seek the following:

  • Seek our better angels of humility, tolerance, and patience to guide our public discourse.
  • Open our eyes to see the image of God in others who are different from us and who see the world differently than we do.
  • Embrace civility and basic human respect for all persons, no matter who they are, as our presuppositions to all conversations.
  • Develop good listening skills so that we aren’t misinterpreting and misrepresenting another’s viewpoint.
  • Be willing, within our own communities of faith, to participate and worship together as the one people of God, without assigning other identities to each other which are not helpful.
  • Enlarge our hearts so that we are big enough people to hold the differing perspectives and politics of others without demonizing them.
  • Default to grace when we aren’t sure what to do say or do.

The Lord will not contend forever with injustice and unrighteousness in the world’s politics, including the extremely local politics of church, family, and neighborhood. Divine intervention cuts both ways, bringing deliverance and freedom, as well as judgment and retribution.

Let us, then, be found to be truthful and honest in all our words and ways; encouraging and helpful in all our public rhetoric and service. Let us seek the peace of everyone, both near and far.

God of truth and justice, you have every right to judge the world. Yet, instead of destroying the earth, you sent your Son to redeem lost humanity to yourself. May I, along with every creature you have made, come to our senses and speak truth with love; and act with integrity so that there is again righteousness throughout the land. Amen.

Against Arrogance and Injustice (Isaiah 47:1-9)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Ancient ruins of Babylon in present day Iraq

City of Babylon,
You are delicate
    and untouched,
    but that will change.
Surrender your royal power
    and sit in the dirt.
Start grinding grain!
    Take off your veil.
Strip off your fancy clothes
    and wade across rivers.
You will suffer the shame
    of going naked,
because I will take revenge,
    and no one can escape.
I am the Lord All-Powerful,
the holy God of Israel.
    I am their Savior.

Babylon, be silent!
    Sit in the dark.
No longer will nations
    accept you as their queen.
I was angry with my people.
So I let you take their land
    and bring disgrace on them.
You showed them no mercy,
but were especially cruel
    to those who were old.
You thought that you
    would be queen forever.
You didn’t care what you did;
it never entered your mind
    that you might get caught.

You think that you alone
    are all-powerful,
that you won’t be a widow
    or lose your children.
All you care about is pleasure,
    but listen to what I say.
Your magic powers and charms
    will suddenly fail,
then you will be a widow
    and lose your children. (Contemporary English Version)

The God of the Bible is not merely a local deity that the ancient Hebrews worshiped way back in history. From the biblical standpoint, God is the Lord of the universe, and the Creator of heaven and earth. Therefore, every nation on earth is accountable to the Divine Sovereign of all, the right and just Judge of the world.

Divine judgment extended to ancient Babylon. Just because they may not have worshiped and served the God of the Israelites, doesn’t mean they were off the hook for their violence and injustice.

For every nation and each person on this earth will have to give an account of their life and existence before God.

The prophet Isaiah likened Babylon to a princess who becomes a slave girl. It’s as if God is taunting her, putting her in her place; showing her who is really in charge.

Babylon had trusted in her own cleverly devised ways of manipulating reality to get what she wanted in this world. But she became helpless, stripped of her power and authority by the One who holds ultimate authority; and holds everyone accountable.

The mocking, taunting, and sarcastic nature of the Lord toward Babylon in Isaiah’s prophecy may seem out of sync with how we understand God. Yet, I invite you to remember how some great injustice of the past was done to you, or someone you care about, from someone with power and authority over you.

Allow me the liberty of reframing and retranslating today’s Old Testament lesson from the vantage of one person’s unjust victimization from another’s position of power and authority, with God exacting divine attention to such an injustice:

“Get off your high horse and sit in the dirt,
    Miss High and Mighty Babylon.
No more doing whatever the hell you want—No! Sit on the ground,
    daughter of Pride and Arrogance.
Nobody will be calling you anymore in order to get things done;
    you won’t be batting your big eyelashes and getting your way with me! So, get used to it.
Get a real job, a job where you have to do what you’ve made others do:
    Dig ditches, scrub toilets, stand at the factory line for hours on end.
You might as well get rid of your fancy clothes,
    and put on some real working gear—because the gig is up, sister.
Your true vulnerability will be on public display,
    and you will feel the criticism and manipulation that you did to others.
Now you have to contend with me. I’m intervening. And I’m taking vengeance.
    No one gets away with treating people like dirt. And if dirt is what you like, dirt is what I’m going to give you.”

Our Redeemer speaks,
    whose name is Yahweh of Armies, The Sacred One:
“Shut up and sit down in the dirt,
    Miss High and Mighty.
Because no one is ever again going to call you
    ‘Boss Lady in charge,’ or ‘Queen of the Empire.’
Believe me, I was angry with my own people,
    and was disgusted with my own children.
Which is why I let them be under your authority;
    but you didn’t show any compassion to them whatsoever.
You treated long-standing reliable people like cogs in a machine,
    and expected them to work at hard labor like they’re young men.
You arrogantly said, ‘I’m Miss High and Mighty!
    I’m here forever, and you will always serve me.’
You took no one seriously, took nothing to heart,
    never thought a wit about the consequences of your actions.
Well, Miss High and Mighty, you better start thinking!
    You’re acting as if you are the center of the universe,
saying to yourself, ‘I’m in charge. There’s nobody but me.
    I will always be in charge, I’ll never lose my authority.’
But two things are going to hit you between the eyes,
    suddenly, on the same day:
Your high position, and your company suck-ups, will be gone, a total loss,
    and your manipulative and gaslighting ways won’t help you, at all.”

Let it be known that the God of Holy Scripture hates injustice, and wants all people everywhere to extend basic human kindness and goodness to one another without prejudice or favoritism.

Individuals and even nations who selfishly grab power and control for themselves, shall have to contend with the ultimate authority in the universe. And that, my friend, is a very good thing for the righteous; and very bad thing for the selfish and arrogant.

Injustice, unfairness, and selfishness will not exist forever. Therefore, it is best for everyone to put their efforts into what lasts, what is permanent and enduring. In the end, peace and righteousness will have an unending rule and reign. Loving relationships will last. God’s justice shall endure.

So, be encouraged, in your own difficult experience and hardship. If you are the victim of another’s positional power used against you, know that the Lord sees, cares, and will do something about it.

Almighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom, help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

What Is It You Are Trying To Do? (Mark 10:2-16)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Jesus blesses the children

Some, testing him, asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.” But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

People were bringing children to him in order that he might touch them, and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them. (New Revised Standard Version)

Trying To Parse the Law?

The topic of divorce has always been a hot button issue throughout human history. And there have continually been diverse views and opinions about it. This is also true of Holy Scripture. A variety of interpretations are offered by many about the Bible’s view of divorce, and Christ’s words concerning it.

Much like today, divorce in the first century was accepted as part of what happens in society, even among Jews, although it was more proliferate in other cultures. Most of the discussions about divorce centered in legal details, with some speaking against it as bad for society.

Among the Jewish religious leaders and experts in the law, it was generally recognized that divorce occurs, with Mosaic legislation proscribing how to carry out divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). Yet, other scripture texts frame the existence of divorce as questionable for God’s people. (e.g. Genesis 2:24; Malachi 2:13-16)

Trying to Test Jesus?

Anyone who doesn’t like another, will often confront them on a hot button issue that has plenty of diverse opinion to it. This is why the Pharisees sought to get Christ’s take on the topic of divorce.

Essentially, Jesus reframed divorce so that it was no longer simply a legal topic, but involves real people. Christ talked about divorce in a way that upheld the dignity of persons, especially women; and lifted up the true sanctity of marriage.

In turning the discussion from a legalities to God’s design for humanity and marriage, Jesus cut to the heart of the matter, to God’s intent, and to human frailty. He focused on relationships, because they were inherent from the beginning.

Yes, divorce is a reality, and it is has its place in society. But no, it’s not supposed to be this way. The very word “divorce” means there is a separation, a breech, a disconnection of relationship. This is why Christ went to another topic: adultery.

Trying To Divorce Women?

Jesus said that a person initiating a divorce in order to marry another person commits adultery. In saying this, he was not offering a legal conversation of details. Rather, Christ was focusing on people; he was concerned for wives and women.

The conversation between Jesus and the Pharisees was a discussion between men, and presupposed a man’s point of view on divorce. Women did not have the ability to initiate divorce in the ancient society.

And Christ seems to have had no stomach for being drawn into abstract legal debates between a bunch of men. Instead, he cared about the people involved in an actual divorce, especially the women.

For all intents and purposes, women (and their sexuality) were the property of men – the father, and then later, the husband. In this social milieu, whenever a husband initiated a break in the relationship, it was important for a woman to have a certified document of divorce. Without that certification, a woman divorcee would be landlocked, unable to do much of anything, as well as be the brunt of societal gossip, slander, or worse.

Since Jesus was talking to the men, the Pharisees, he pointedly looked at them and let them know that, although they might initiate a divorce, it in no way justified their sneaking and creeping around. It didn’t cover their adulterous relationship(s) nor their adulterous hearts.

All this is to say that Christ very much opposed divorce on the grounds of putting a wife away out of a desire for a different spouse. He intended on empowering women. In a divorce situation, because a man was in control of the process, it was then the man who commits adultery against the woman.

Both logically and legally, a woman could never commit adultery because of divorce – only the man. What’s more, adultery is not primarily a violation of the law, but of the woman. Jesus believed it was high time for some accountability with the men.

Even though contemporary Western society is much different than the ancient social structure, Christ’s teaching is still relevant. The need to uphold not just the law, but the rights of women is a must for today, as well.

Unless we can observe Christ’s concern for women’s justice and rights, there will be men who continue to leverage their own gender over and against females and wives. And there will continue to be both husbands and wives who initiate divorce for their own adulterous motives, thus putting their spouse in moral, legal, emotional, and spiritual jeopardy.

Trying To Keep Children Away?

The overarching ethics of Jesus, and the law of God, is to provide justice and righteousness for the most vulnerable among us. And this is why the teaching about divorce is coupled with instruction about children.

In our contemporary society, children have rights and are accorded significant status. That was not true in the ancient world. Children were mostly viewed as potential adults. Until then, kids were to stay quiet unless spoken to, and to obey their parents with absolutely no talk-back.

Christ’s disciples did what any student following their teacher would do; they kept the kids at bay so that Jesus could do his important ministry work. But what the disciples discovered is that the kids were actually part of that important ministry work. As children, they were vulnerable, at the low end of the social scale, and had no personal rights other than being part of a family.

To become like a little child in order to enter the kingdom of God did not mean becoming innocent; it meant becoming humble and dependent, and embracing meekness, gentleness, and lowliness. It meant to become the last and the least among us. Because the last will be first, and the least will become great.

Trying To Get It Right?

It’s important for us to uphold the sanctity of human life, and the spirit of the law. The law is intended to preserve and protect life – and is not to be used to find loopholes or ways to get what you want.

Meeting the needs of all people – whether they be men, women, children, and whether they be rich or poor – is to be everyone’s concern. Why? Because justice and righteousness are at the heart of God’s concern for humanity.

Merciful God, who discerns each heart: We confess our family is most often like strangers to us. So, give to all parents and children the grace to see one another as they truly are, and as you have called them to be. In the name of Jesus Christ, our mediator and advocate, we pray. Amen.

Be Careful about Your Decisions (2 Samuel 11:14-21)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
David and Uriah, by Rembrandt, c.1665

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In it he wrote, “Put Uriah out in front where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.”

So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.

Joab sent David a full account of the battle. He instructed the messenger: “When you have finished giving the king this account of the battle, the king’s anger may flare up, and he may ask you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you know they would shoot arrows from the wall? Who killed Abimelek son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If he asks you this, then say to him, ‘Moreover, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.’” (New International Version)

Today we have a lesson in the middle of a story about King David’s greatest error in judgment and cover up of that decision. Indeed, bad decisions can often beget even more bad decisions.

It would be an understatement to say that David blew it. Our Old Testament books of 1 and 2 Samuel are arranged by the original editor in such a way that the chapter of 2 Samuel 11 is a hinge upon which the life of David moves.

All of the material before 2 Samuel 11 is generally positive, describing a man devoted to God in every way. But everything after this chapter is mostly tragic. The editor wanted readers and listeners to understand that God cares about morality and ethics by showing the consequences of both a life well-lived, as well as a life that is self-centered.

Before our verses for today, the story begins with David choosing adultery and taking another man’s wife. King David should have been doing the work of a king – protecting and serving Israel. But instead, he hung out in Jerusalem and avoided all the needed military stuff. (2 Samuel 11:1)

The editor wants us to see that King David was shirking his responsibility, which then brought a set up for moral failure. It appears David was resting on his laurels, content with his victories and successes. For the most part, at the time, the nation was happy and prosperous.

The king was walking around on the roof of his palace, instead of being in the trenches with his men, leading them in the defense of Israel.

Rather than giving proper orders as a king ought to do, David was sending people to do his personal bidding in satisfying his earthly wants. This is a significant reversal of what we see from earlier chapters in the story of David.

Up to this point we have observed David as a merciful king, seeking to use power for benevolent purposes in the common good of the nation. But in today’s chapter, David turns into the typical earthly king, ordering others around and using his authority to get what he wants.

The editor wants us to learn some lessons from David’s life. One of those lessons is that if the right and just King David can fall, then none of us are immune from falling into bad decisions which alter people’s lives forever.

The moment we think we are above falling, look out, because an arrogant nose dive into depravity is probably not far behind.

The stories of people who fall into immorality are mostly the same. Having some power or authority to wield, they use it to assert control over another person or group in order to get what they want – without being concerned for the needs and wants of others, and usually unconcerned for the negative consequences it brings upon other people.

It’s important that we call such behavior what it is: Evil. Awful. Selfish. Ungodly. A violation of ethics and morality. An offense against God.

David committed adultery, then lied, manipulated others, and covered up his actions. He murdered an innocent man, and was okay with an entire regiment of soldiers getting killed to ensure that an innocent man would be dead.

None of that icky nasty stuff was a mistake, or a lapse in judgment. It was pre-meditated sin.

And the way to deal with such sin is not to say something like “I did it, but it wasn’t really me; I’m not really like that!” Well, apparently, you are. Maybe David thought he was above it all, and believed it wasn’t really something he could ever do. But he did.

David gives Uriah a letter for Joab, by Pieter Lastman, 1619

Once we make an immoral and ungodly decision, it often causes us to start selling-out our principles and convictions. Sin only begets more sin, until we deal with it squarely.

Truth is a celebration of openness and honesty. Shame keeps to the shadows and prizes secrecy and remaining quiet. If one chooses not to go down the path of truth, then they will be continually encrusting their lives with lies so that no one ever knows.

In fact, much of religious legalism is nothing more than a person piling on the rules in order for others to not see the guilt and shame that hides deep within. Only through confession, repentance, and faith, will forgiveness, wholeness, and happiness ever occur.

Yet another lesson we can learn from this story of David is that the results which may satisfy our wants may not necessarily satisfy our needs, or God.

David accomplished what he wanted. He was successful in covering up his sin, and he got the woman he wanted. But God saw the whole thing, and was not okay with any of it. 

We must not assume that because we do something, and there was no immediate lightning strike, that it was okay. 

To only selfishly satisfy ourselves is to be a spiritual cannibal who eats other people alive.

So, how might we avoid falling into the same sorts of bad decisions which befell David?

  • Make prayers of confession a regular staple of your daily spiritual regimen. Had David engaged in prayer on the roof instead of being bored, we would likely have a very different story.
  • Maintain an active and engaged mind. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop. David was wandering around the palace instead of actively engaged in the government of his kingdom.
  • Keep the Sabbath. A day of rest helps the body to be in healthy rhythms of care, as well as enabling the spirit to connect meaningfully with God. Without adequate rest, we are like the little kid in a grocery store at 9pm throwing a fit and having a meltdown. David got out of a healthy rhythm as king, and it led to a fall.
  • Strengthen your family relationships. If you are married, live from the place of your marriage. Marriage is more than living with someone and having occasional fun; it is a one-flesh relationship that is meant to be a priority. Only from this relational place can a spouse effectively take on the world with all its needs and brokenness. 
  • Submit to accountable relationships. There are far too many lonely people with few friends in this world, even among people who are constantly around others. Everyone needs a small coterie of confidants with whom to share anything and everything with.  David’s close friends were all out with the army, and he was alone. Not a good thing.
  • Avoid stuffing all desire down as selfish and bad. Jettisoning desire only sets us up for a fall. But identifying godly desire enables us to make better decisions which engage the whole person.

Almighty God, you are the fountain of all wisdom and grace. You know our needs before we even ask, and our ignorance in not asking for the things we really need. Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things that in our blindness we don’t know to ask for. 

Gracious Lord, we acknowledge and confess our sinful nature, prone to evil and slow to good.  You know our secret sins, and how often we have offended you and damaged others through wandering from your ways, wasting your gifts, and forgetting your love. Cleanse us from our hidden sins and forgive our faults for the sake of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ who loved us and gave himself for us. Amen.