High Yield Investments

"Be generous: Invest in acts of charity. Charity yields high returns." (Ecclesiastes 11:1, The Message)

I don't know why it is, but most of the people in America are not very generous. You'd think that we would be as the richest nation on earth, where even those who live at a poverty level are rich compared to most of the world. And how do we share that wealth? At the rate of about 2% a year in total charitable donations.

I've been to several concerts over this last year and one of the common things at nearly every show is a time for the artist/band to share their testimony and their chosen mission beyond their music. It is a neat trend, hearing stories of how these artists are giving of themselves in mission, going to different parts of the world, trying to make a difference. And then giving their audiences a chance to share in it. Compassion International is one of those organizations I've heard from many times. We as a family adopted on young chil,d Jaco, from Mozambique. We write to him and he us. It makes us feel like we are making some difference.

We've found other ways to give, too. But instead of working down through them, as it might become an opportunity to boast and I don't want to do that, I'd rather mention how we have benefitted from the charity of God and others through the years.

We've received many gifts, especially since joining the ministry: food on the days we've moved out or in to a parsonage, cards of encouragement at random times of the year, monetary gifts at holidays or just as a simple thanks for what we do, gift certificates for books or even books themselves, and one of our favorites, invitations to someone's home for a meal. We understand charity as we have benefitted from it, from our families who have given way beyond what we ever really needed to churches who have taken care of us so that we could minister. It's been overwhelming and we have been blessed so many more times than we can count.

It was one of those days many years ago when we were fretting over our main vehicle that was about to give out. I hadn't been out of seminary long and student loans, every day expenses of the family were stretching our budget already so a big repair bill for our main vehicle would put us over the edge. But being prideful and not wanting to share this information with the church or the staff or even our families, Peggy and I simply prayed for a solution.

It wasn't but a few days later that we received a nice card in the mail. It had no return address, wasn't signed by anyone except for a blessing for our family, recognizing we might be able to use a gift which happened to be 20 $100 bills. I remember sitting on the bed with Peggy looking at me funny as I pulled the wad from the card and started counting. I counted again with tears in my eyes and looked again for a name, a clue, something that could tie this gift with someone I could call and thank. But it wasn't there. And so we turned to God, knowing where the gift truly came from and we gave great thanks.

We still do give great thanks for how people are generous with us. And even more now that we are able to be generous with others. We have found that giving not only blesses those who benefit, but we are blessed as well. It truly is an investment for us, in the Kingdom of God. We learned it, by being both receivers and givers, not by reading heartwarming stories. Generosity only comes from giving freely and often, without strings attached. Generosity grows out of giving.

Want to invest in something really important, give to those in need.

God will bless you for it.

Peace ><>
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Generosity of Jordan

"God can pour on blessings in astonishing ways so that you're ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done." (2 Corinthians 9:8, The Message)

I've become very aware through the years that God has been blessing my life. Most of the time I hadn't seen it or counted it, but I know that it's been there, God's blessings, in the form of provisions: jobs, money, help, shelter, transportation, etc. God has given me way more than I deserved or even needed.

The unfortunate part is that as I have received many times I have kept as my own and found ways to spend or celebrate what God had sent my way. Sure I had been generous with my own family, but I hadn't considered the opportunity of continuing that blessing by giving away some of what God had given me. Even though I had been growing in my faith, I forgot a simple understanding from scripture...

"This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is
more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God." (2 Corinthians 9:10-11, The Message)

Let me explain...

...The picture above is of the Dead Sea. It is a beautiful body of water that is on the great rift vally between Israel and Jordan, along the mountains of Moab (to the East). It has two main sources in the Jordan River and whatever rains filter down through the mountain wadis (streams). There are also some fresh and mineral springs that flow out of the ground and end up in the Dead Sea. But there is an interesting fact about this body of water that I didn't realize.

It receives, but never gives away.

Isn't that remarkable? I knew that nothing could live in this water because of its high concentration of minerals but I didn't realize why they were there. It's quite simple, water flows in, but water doesn't flow out. The dead sea is the lowest place on earth so it's impossible for water to escape by any way but evaporation, which leaves the mineral concentrations to grow.

You get the idea: it keeps what it can, never gives away and it's dead.

So, if we only receive and keep but never give away, we miss something, God's blessings through our generosity, and what does generosity bring? Paul said it, "full-formed lives." It is a part of being the complete creature God originally intended. God wants us to be generous, giving not only a tithe (10%) through the church but even more (an offering beyond the tithe) to those in need around us, and there are plenty of them.

Learning generosity and practicing it brings something beautiful, praise to God. It's not for our glory, but Gods. The same fresh, crisp, mountain spring water from Mount Hermon that becomes the Jordan River is the water that becomes the Dead Sea. One produces life, the other doesn't, yet it's the same water. How God's blessings flow make all the difference...

...they either flow in or flow through, but they always flow.

Peace ><>
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Is Chivalry Really Dead?

I enjoy holding the door for people (not only for those who need it but for anyone.). I find it fun to allow someone else to go before me (although it may be my own way of taking control of people cutting in line.). Chivalry in my book is not dead, it just isn't as prominent as it should be.

Chivalry comes from the middle ages as the noble qualities a knight was supposed to have, such as courage and a readiness to help the weak. It is gallantry, courtesy and honorable behavior and any demonstration of any of these qualities. Chivalry is the strong and powerful watching out for the weak. When a knight defends his or another's honor even to death, that is the ultimate definition of chivalry to me. It is selfless behavior. It is the character of Jesus.

I'm no knight, although to carry a big sword would be cool. Yet the honor of King Arthur and the knights of the round table is the kind of behavior that we don't see very often today. Instead of knights we have mercenaries, groups known for terror, behaviors that are much more selfish than selfless. O how I long for the days where honor meant something.

It's that contrast that is highlighted in today's reading from Matthew 26. We see the selfish behavior of the High Priests and religious leaders to the selfless act of a humble, broken woman, one leads to shame the other to honor. Even the disciples missed its significance. We have the benefit of Jesus' response, how he was blessed by her act of selflessness. We should learn something from this story of contrasts, shifting our attention from self to others. And isn't this the very thing Jesus mentioned when he said the most important commands was to love God and to love others?

That should make us want to act like a knight.

Now I'm not suggesting that we carry around bottles of Chanel #5 to pour over people's heads. That's not a good way to get make friends (unless they like that sort of thing!). But it means to show honor and care to those around us. It means to live in ways that puts our selfishness aside for the sake of others.

If there's one thing I struggle with the most it is selfishness. That's my main problem. But I'm working on it. That's why I hold the door for people, why I let others move in line before me. It's why I go last when we have a dinner at church. I know I can be selfish and I know for a fact that Jesus wasn't. I want to live more like a knight: honorable, selfless, courteous, gallant.

It's what Jesus wants of me...

...Of all of us.

Peace ><> (and a courteous bow)
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Life at the Center

Are you ever disappointed by circumstances, by people who should act differently than they do, by people who read this last phrase and think that's it's about someone else? Okay, so I've been disappointed this week. We all get there. Things happen that discourage us, but we can't let these circumstances stir up the wrong responses. We can get angry. Anger is a good thing, a healthy thing. Jesus got angry, but he didn't sin. Our anger, our responses must be right, honorable, gracious, Christ-like; even if it means taking up a whip or a cross.

Yes, disappointment can cut like a knife, it can hurt deeply.

I needed Jude's encouragement this week. At the beginning of his letter he writes, "Relax, everything's going to be all right; rest, everything's coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way." He was writing to a church where there were conflicts, enemies within their own ranks, who didn't have God at the center of their lives or their agendas. He was helping the faithful stay on track when it seemed like the whole church had been derailed by a few. His encouragement is simple, God knows their actions, their hearts and will judge them accordingly.

"But you dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, by keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!"

I think Jude's words are for all of us no matter what the difficulty in our life is. Whether we should be disappointed or angered, hurt or betrayed, the answer is the same.

When life is hard, pray

When life is confusing, pray

When there seem to be no answers, pray.

When others let you down, don't get resentful, just pray.

Prayer is the key to God. It's where our real selves get connected to the real of God. It's where we get answers, help, hope, encouragement. It's here that we discover real life, the source of life. I've known this for years. I've practiced it for years. But some days I need reminded of the simplest things that can strengthen my faith, my resolve.

I need to live in the center of God's love.

It's only from here that I can respond to life in the most Christ-like fashion.

I need to pray, and I have, and I do, and I will and I am, even now.

You should, too.

Peace ><>
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Apology

I tried to post early this morning, but had a system crash and I fell asleep, not in that order.

Check back later.

(click on the sacred space link for a great daily prayer exercise.)

Peace ><>
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Not Just God

Something that struck me in today's scripture, Exodus 20:1-21, was a simple phrase that can be so simply overlooked. I've done it. I've read it time after time but today it stuck out to me. It's common to 5 of the commandments, two simple words, "your God."

Now that may not seem critical, but it is. It does not say that God is only their God, but their only God. God is theirs. "I am God, your God."

I like how God phrased that. It's a great reminder to me that God is not only the God of the Hebrews, but God, the only God, God of the Universe, God of all peoples...

...mine...


...yours!

Whether we accept this truth or not it is still true. God is ours. We are God's. That is an awesome thought by itself.

"Don't be afraid. God has come to test you and instill a deep and reverent awe within you so that you won't sin." (Exodus 20:20, The Message)

We answered the question yesterday, What do I have to give up? The simple answer is whatever and whomever is drawing us away from God or displeasing God we should want to set aside, so that we can grow deeper in our relationship with God.

Today I'm awed by the very presence of God, my God, the God who loves me, redeemed me, who teaches me, protects me, guides me, disciplines me. I don't want to dishonor God by my actions. I want to live to please God...my God...

...your God!

Peace ><>
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