REturning despite circumstance

𝗟𝘂𝗸𝗲 𝟭:𝟭𝟲-𝟭𝟳 “𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗚𝗼𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗹𝗶𝗷𝗮𝗵, 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁, 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱.”

John the Baptist was to have the ministry of turning – more precisely REturning – people back towards their God. Commensurate with that was a reconciliation between the generations and repentance of sin to Biblical “wisdom” or righteous precepts. It was to be done to prepare the people for someone and something greater to come.

John would later point to Jesus as that “someone” to come. But inherent in this proclamation is a statement that the people of Israel were not ready to receive their Messiah. They had strayed (or were led astray) from following the ways of the Lord. In occupied, oppressed Israel, the compromised state of mind and path in life is understandable. It’s remarkable the God chose this time to send John the Baptist and Jesus.

Part and parcel of John’s message was that oppression and discouragement were no excuse for not following the Lord. Indeed, there was a thriving and overcoming implicit in the ministry of the suffering and dying Messiah. THAT was not expected by anyone in first century Israel. What the people expected and wanted was a Messiah who would throw off Roman rule and re-establish Israel as THE world power. Jesus would indeed conquer Rome, though not through military/political power. John’s ministry prepared the people for righteousness in the midst of suffering and overcoming despite trial and opposition.

Where do I explain away my ethical shortcomings and compromises with “what I’ve been through”? Where do I do that for groups of people of whom I’m a part? It doesn’t wash and it doesn’t mesh with the gospel I profess to follow. Perseverance and patience (literally “longsuffering” in the original Greek) are products of following Jesus. Do I pray for them to develop and be lived out in my life? If not, I need to.

𝗛𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝟭𝟮:𝟭𝟭 𝗡𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗳𝘂𝗹. 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻, 𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝗶𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗶𝘁.

Abandonment and loneliness

𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄 𝟮𝟲:𝟯𝟴‭ 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺, “𝗠𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗳𝘂𝗹, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵; 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗲.”

…

𝟰𝟬 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿, “𝗦𝗼, 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿?”

Jesus’ request of Peter, James and John was both for their benefit and his. He appealed to their overcoming future temptation – a good reason for prayer for anyone. But Jesus also wanted their company because of the personal ordeal he knew was coming. He wanted his friends to keep vigil with him.

Surely, being abandoned was part of Jesus’ suffering. On the cross he later quoted David’s psalm, saying “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1). Anyone who has suffered knows that having someone present can make a big difference. It was part of the reason the writer of Hebrews would say that believers do not have a High Priest who’s unable to sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15).

“Abandonment issues” stem from parental negligence. A person with a pattern of being left alone – by people whose role and job it is to be there for them – is very sensitive to any situation where s/he lacks company when it’s needed or desired. Yet, this is a situation where Jesus can provide company, for he knows what it’s like. It’s unavoidable to feel abandoned at some point – there are things we must go through alone.

Providing companionship for the suffering – aka the ministry of presence – is a powerful testimony to the presence of God. May I listen to God’s voice and provide that when prompted, knowing just being there speaks love.

And should I find myself in an abandoned or even lonely state, let me know Jesus went before me and will NEVER abandon me through the Holy Spirit. His grace is sufficient.

The angst and the lightning

𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄 𝟮𝟰:𝟲 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝘀. 𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗲𝘁.

…

𝟮𝟰:𝟮𝟳 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝘀𝘁, 𝘀𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗻.

So much turmoil in Matthew 24! So much cataclysm and soul-wrenching upheaval. The life of a Jesus follower is to be marked by the animosity of the world and endangered by the reaction of sinful humanity towards the message of the cross and its living out. The war in the heavenlies will become war on earth.

In fear, there is a settling of conviction or an alignment with anyone and anything that seems to alleviate the threats. That is why Jesus said to not be alarmed. Far from just turning off the alarm switch, the peace that a believer can have is based upon faith that Jesus remains in control although it looks like the opposite. Believers will be put to death in an effort to stop the move of God’s Kingdom (some have tried, see Josef Stalin). Still the end is “not yet”.

It does little good to hand-wring and development of worry warts in advance of the end times. Even less good is the perverse glee who imagine the coming of Christ – verse 27 – without the unpleasant events leading up to it – verses 1-26. Even less useful than that is the false prophecy that portends to know the time of his arrival and makes survivalist preparations (absoLUTEly without scriptural instruction). This is to the shame of God’s people, for it is cultic, and driven by anything but love (which has grown cold).

There is a hopeful sobriety that awaits the second coming of the Lord, come what may. Trusting God with today’s events is always the way to live in Christ. His Word is a lamp, not a floodlight (Psalm 119:105). Because, when Jesus does return to planet earth, no one will be mistaken. No false messiahs or false refuges will compare to the true glory or speed of his descent.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

Prophets and profits

𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄 𝟮𝟯:𝟯𝟰‭-‬𝟯𝟱 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗜 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝘀, 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗳𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻, 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵, 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗔𝗯𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗭𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗮𝗵, 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗿.

The parable of the landowner who sent his servants to collect rent was very thinly veiled. The religious rulers and authorities in Jerusalem were rebellious tenants, lording what they knew and what they had over the people. Any prophet sent to call them to righteousness that was the heart of the Law of Moses, was maltreated, even killed. Such talk threatened their position. Prophets endangered their profits.

The generation of leaders alive at the time Christ’s arrival in Israel were to bear the guilt of all who came before. That’s because it was no mere prophet visitation they witnessed – it was God the Son. Their crucifying him would carry the guilt weight of all who came before; such was the miraculous and doctrinal witness they had seen. They had seen it and attributed it to the work of the devil, blaspheming the Holy Spirit, the only unpardonable sin.

There is no payback in justice, only a making right of wrong. In that there is punishment for the wrongdoer and some of that is severe, even eternal. The prophets uniformly strongly advocated for justice for the poor, and ministry on behalf of the downtrodden was central to Jesus’ purpose on earth as well. Many of the miracles not only restored physical well-being but elevated their recipients to a better, more productive and permanently rewarded life. Arguably, the prospect of lifting people up (from under foot) was the central terror of the religious leaders. They NEEDED poor know-nothings to exploit and serve them. In the theology of the religious rulers, the poor pleasing them was the same as pleasing God.

Do I resist the prophet? Do I cling to position and whatever power I have come into – including the power of influence? I certainly do not want to. While New Testament prophecy is to undergo testing (𝟭 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝟱:𝟮𝟭 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱), corrective words spoken tend to be opposed.

Without question, “prophets” can be equally intoxicated with power as anyone else, but there is a real deal. Authentic prophecy is not necessarily pleasing; it brings me up short.

It was God’s love that motivated Jesus. It was God’s love that motivated those who came before. Love pulls no punches but is expended for my good. A strong ploy goes on in the mind where the supposed motives of those who don’t please me become malicious and oppressive. While that can happen, let me learn to take those thoughts captive and let God speak. For I need to hear all God says.

The deliverance of canine Canaanites

Matthew 15:26-27 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

Did the Lord God of the universe really call a woman who was coming to Him for help a dog?

Context is everything in the stories of Jesus.  In this one, a Canaanite woman persisted in asking Jesus to release her daughter from demonic possession.  The disciples tried to push her away.  Then Jesus explained himself, that he was sent to Israel and nowhere else.  Then he said the words above.

Jesus’ priority to redeem Israel was foretold for centuries before his arrival.  That focus was not confusing.  And though faith in Jesus would spread around the world – as it still is – it started very locally.  In that regard, then, a person from outside Israel could be a distraction.  It is interesting that Samaritans were not outside his ministerial range, and historically that aligns with their origin as part of the 12 tribes of Jacob.  But Gentile Canaanites? No.

The inclusion of foreigners in Israel was a merciful part of Mosaic Law.  The people were to welcome immigrants:

Leviticus 19:33-34 “‘When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him.  The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

Yet, intermarrying was forbidden:

Deuteronomy 7:3-4 You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.

So, which is it?  It seems contradictory.  But it’s not.  The difference is decided by the attitude and posture of the foreigner.  Clearly, if someone from outside Israel came into the country to turn God’s people away from their God, that person was an enemy.  If not, that person was a friend.

So, the Canaanite woman came from an unspiritual, foreign culture, one that had no interest in the God of Israel or much that was spiritual at all.  Calling them “dogs” was not uncommon, for if people from that group came to the people of God, it was for personal gain and not as any act of covenant or even relationship.  They were outside and wanted to stay that way.

Jesus, who “knew what was in a man” (John 2:25), called the woman’s people (and NOT her – though by inference it was her) “dogs”.  He was not calling her non-human nor excluding her from grace.  He was testing her loyalties and affinities.  And she was not offended, but embraced the title, and said she was happy to receive whatever blessing she could.  Jesus commended her faith and delivered her daughter from Satan.

Do I cling, in pride, to my cultural identity?  Am I offended if the Lord calls us what we are?  Are we dogs?  If we, people in the larger society, pursue life as canines, we surely are.  Do I have the humility to ask for the crumbs that fall from the table of God? 

I want to assume the role of undeserving servant; it is a fact and my calling in Christ.   I bring no heritage or birthright to God.  I am only saved by grace.  And I will receive whatever God has for me with gratitude.

Note – by no means is calling some people “dogs” acceptable in today’s world. It carries with it a subhuman association, which enables groups to practice discrimination and even commit genocide. In context it was common and understood (even the woman accepted it), but things are very different now.

So may I never take this as license to disqualify someone on the basis of ethnicity or tribal origin. The gospel is for everyone and there is no distinction.

Filling the house

Matthew 12:43-45 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order.  Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”

Evil can be removed by deliverance or conquest, but unless it is replaced with virtue and righteousness, it will come back in greater proportions.  Jesus regularly cast out demons.  The behavior and effects those spirits caused was personally and socially destructive. 

The phenomenon of their returning to their former hosts is chilling and shows the need for a second spiritual act to be sure that the “house” is NOT empty.  That is, Jesus must fill the “house”.  The Holy Spirit, infinitely more powerful than any demon, will not cohabitate with any other spirit.  In God there is no darkness.

And Jesus did not leave the story with a single person re-possessed by the devil.  He concluded by saying this was also the tale of his evil generation.  In that sense, his ministry to that generation of people did accomplish the advent of the Kingdom of God, but if unbelief persisted, it was only temporary.   Believers went on in their liberty from the Evil One, for they obtained an infilling that left the “house” full and redeemed.

Salvation is not always readily noticed.  Sin can persist along with all the sickness and trials of the human condition.  (Guaranteed divine health is a proud travesty)  So if I look at the valleys of life and forget with whom I am filled, I may need reminding of the permanent state of my deliverance, ongoing salvation and destiny.  Though I may struggle, there is no “re-entry” of evil.  That battle is won.

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Singing songs of deliverance

Psalm 32:6-7 Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah

The passage starts with words that sound quite conditional – effective prayer is to be offered only by the godly ones and only during a time when God “may be found”. But in the original language the phrase shows up elsewhere and a more literal rendering would be “when in the time of finding” .. that is, a season in human life when the soul yearns to find God. Yet it is seasonal – the penitence and humility to pray and seek God can and are certainly NOT permanent states of every life, nor states in the life of every group or nation. That is, there are times when God is NOT found due to a lack of seeking, faith and/or overriding concern. The conditionality is on people, not God.

The rush of great waters would happen in a different season – one of trial and calamity.  The season of prayer and seeking is clearly preparation and the source of deliverance during the flood.  Floods are guaranteed; deliverance from them is conditional, truly.

The safety from the waters is a place of shelter, or hiding, from the troubles when they come.  The preserving, keeping protection God provides shouts or songs that circle his people on every side.  The power of the loud testimony keeps hearts and minds centered on the reality of that protection.  It amplifies over the din of the rushing flood, of threat and gloom.  The believer sings along and is preserved from all harm.

Rising waters do not only cause physical damage to life and property.  Certainly, they sweep away both people and the elements of people’s lives.  They also leave indelible marks on the soul – emotional and experiential scars that live on as fateful harbingers of disaster to follow.  Expectations sink in the murky waters.

Let me then mark my deliverance.  Let me sing those songs I heard clearly during the season of my deliverance.  For they were from the Almighty, testimony to prayer and devotion I learned to offer in seasons prior.  I’ve earned nothing, but have remained attached to the vine that gives life and even watches over it.  To God be the glory.

Sing on, O my soul, and rejoice in the God who saves.

Opposition endured

Hebrews 12:9 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Opposition is to be expected.  The claim the Jesus is God the Son will be abrasive to those who say there is no God and those who believe God having a Son to be blasphemous.  They will do whatever they can to discredit, disqualify and marginalize the message of the Gospel.  They will overplay grace to the point of eliminating sin from consideration.  They will overplay judgment to the point of becoming God’s agents of wrath.

To contrast this opposition to modern polarized battles of culture wars, if I’m not careful, the imbalance of both sides will penetrate my own thinking.  The over-reliance and -emphasis of policy will dull the edge of the sword of the Word.  Platforms and ideologies that allow or punish whatever groups think are evil blur the redemption Jesus accomplished.  All can be forgiven.  All can be made righteous and holy.  Human reason and its formulations have forever opposed God’s purposes.  It’s easier to back a candidate or party or ideologue than follow Jesus.

It’s hardly that Jesus stands for lawlessness or lack of conviction.  That’s absurd.  But his compassion goes deeper than those confronting him as does his heart-searching conviction of sin.  Laws cannot be made to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ; it’s something only the Holy Spirit can do.

As the passage implies, weariness and loss of heart are real dangers.  The arguments Jesus had (and there were many) – challenging his authority, identity and actions – show the nature of the opposition and his radical clinging to justice and grace.  To be sure, that opposition led to his death.  Before that, it was assassination of his character and denunciation of his message.  He endured it all and won.  May I (and we) do the same.

The reward of the cheerful heart

𝟮 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝟵:𝟲-𝟳 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀: 𝗪𝗵𝗼𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗽 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗽 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆. 𝗘𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝗹𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿.

Paul was collecting an offering for the Jerusalem church, the spiritual “mother church”. There was a bad famine in Israel and people were starving. From the more affluent Gentile believers, Paul issued a pointed and passionate challenge – Give generously and you will see reward in your life. Period.

While the call is not to abandon reason in one’s giving, it absolutely entails taking reason off the throne of heart and adopting compassion that opens the wallet or makes available the resource.

To be sure, there is wisdom to know that the appeal has integrity and the funds and resources will actually go where the gatherer says (e.g. gifts to poor nations routinely go through corrupt regimes and leaders, with little or nothing getting to the needy). And giving that enables destructive behavior is not what this passage describes.

I’m challenged to name the ways generosity is threatened, because truly these do overrule the appeal in myself and others if we let them:

𝘎𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵. I don’t want to give good money after bad. Put more vividly, will I give to an ungrateful, snarling grouse whose hunger (in my exalted opinion) is self-inflicted? I should know that if I do not, my own ungrateful, snarling soul will remain bereft of the promised reward. I do not have the equipment to gauge the outcome in the life of the recipient. Those who receive don’t need to earn generosity.

𝘎𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. I (or someone else) want(s) to look generous as an ulterior motive. Or, giving only to people and causes that align with my political sensibilities. Donations to causes are FINE, but not to be confused with generosity. The reward for that is far from certain and dubious from the outset.

𝘎𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. No, the freedom to give or not give is implicit in the process. There is no inherent punishment for withholding, though a miserly heart does get its own dark “reward”. But appeals that project attitudes and pronounce dire consequences to raise funds carry an element of sales ploys.

𝘎𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵. For sure there is reward promised in scripture, and experienced in the action itself. But if that payback becomes the motive for giving, it puts the giver in a seat only God can fill. Despite the current popular and pervasive teaching, we do not name our reward in substance or detail of its delivery. Our lives become blessable through giving, no more.

It is stunning what giving does in heavenly accounting books:

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗯𝘀 𝟭𝟵:𝟭𝟳 𝗛𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗢𝗥𝗗, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲.

… and there is certainly enough promise and fulfillment to make us the “cheerful giver” that God loves.

Resignation with a wink

Luke 20:24-25 “Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Jesus had been asked a trick question, and one very loaded with national and cultural baggage. Should the people pay Roman taxes? It was a sore point because taxes were high and the collectors were notorious for adding their own fees on top, such that the people hated the Romans and the traitor collectors. So, acquiescence to paying taxes would be treasonous and politically treacherous.

But Jesus had an answer equally astute to the query meant to trap him. He asked about the national origin of the coins they were using. Of course, they were Roman. So, yeah, the Romans will levy taxes and you should pay them. But the people knew there were also Syrian and Jewish coinage in use. So his answer had a way of marginalizing Rome. It was resignation with a wink.

Roman taxes were unjust and cruel. Jesus knew that. But he also knew that rebellion against Rome was no way to be rid of the occupiers. We know he desired salvation for them. There is, then, a deeper and longer lasting desire in God’s heart even for those who profit from his people’s suffering. Jesus would go on to die on a Roman cross, with attending soldiers proclaiming his deity.

The divisive and conspiratorial accusations of tribal groups can and do inflame. Indeed, should we pay taxes? Should we support the group of people in power or fight them first with our words then our deeds, even unto armed rebellion? It’s hard to be dogmatic, for Thomas Jefferson’s suggestion for the motto for the United States Seal (not adopted) does hold scriptural weight – “Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God”.

But Jesus points to the things that people do have – their our own identity, currency and culture – in the din of tribal wranglings. What do I think it means to love our enemies? I might be quick to point out that I was never called to be a doormat, yet those words are lies, for I do serve a doormat Savior. This doesn’t negate oppression, injustice and suffering. It redeems it and spreads the Good News of Jesus as a counter-cultural undercurrent. There is no culture on earth like the kind that Jesus lives and spreads.

As enabled and prompted by the Holy Spirit, I will pointedly love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me. Grant me that strength O God.