Seek Ye First...

In the previous passage, Jesus declares that serving both God and money is impossible, because you cannot love both. You cannot be devoted to both. Why? At some point, both occupants of your heart will demand what the other one will not be compatible with or agree to, and you will plunge into a kind of war with your heart and your conscience. 

Paul explicates this in no uncertain terms: "Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God." (Romans 8:5-8)

But those of us in Christ have a different perspective, a different motivation: "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory." (Romans 8:14-16)

So we are either children of God, or children of the world. Our familial ties are expressed in how we act and what we believe. The world, represented by money, has its own values and will not tolerate sharing the stage with the Kingdom's values.

Think: How often have you wanted to do the right thing financially, but had divided loyalties between your love for God and the pressure and pleasure that debt and spending can bring?

• You want to put even more debt on your credit card for a purchase but your church is conducting a fundraiser for an orphanage in Mexico and you are torn as to what to do.  You really want to make that purchase, but you know that outreach is important. 
• You want to spend time with your kids but your wife is worried about money, so you go into work that day.

The list goes on and on. 

Jesus knows that we are ultimately at war with the things of God--hence, His teaching on the Kingdom of God. He wants us to know what life in the Kingdom looks like and how we should operate.

The values the Kingdom proffers are not the world's, pure and simple. The world is about self and a born-again heart is about God. 

Yes, we fail to uphold and live out those values quite often, but we know that.  The world goes about its business as if it's all about itself, and if people don't like it, too bad.  The world sees itself as progressive, hip and so aware of what's really important. 

But the world is deceived.

Jesus brought light and is Light to a world shrouded in darkness.  All too often the world thinks that darkness is the only quality life can have. 

So Jesus' teaching on this mountain is to reassert the values, the ways and the attitude of those who call on God.  A lot was lost under the cloak of "religion" and Jesus wanted to show His people that God was still standing by them and wanted far and away more for them that they could ever imagine. Isaiah 64:4 says, 

    Since ancient times no one has heard, 

        no ear has perceived,
        no eye has seen any God besides you,
        who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

So, Jesus moves from how money can turn into a very demanding master to, what I am sure the crowd is thinking, what seems like an impossible place to stand. 

OK, Rabbi Jesus.  You should be able to live on the very words of God.  We know His words are life, and we do not live by bread alone, but you must earn the money to buy the flour to bake the bread. That takes work.  Whatever money we do get goes to the Romans anyway.  So, really, even though we work hard, you wouldn't know it. The poor are everywhere and we see them, pity them, but we do not want to be them.  Yet, when we walk away from the tax collector's booth, we realize all too well, we are them. 

Now Jesus launches into quite a response to the question, "If we don't seek money, how will we live?  How will we eat?" in Matthew 6:25-34: 

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"

You mean, Rabbi, even though we see how God takes care of His creation, we forget far too easily that  we are part of it?  A very important part?  Do You mean to say that we are just as important to Him as our children are to us?  What kind of father would not provide for his children?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them."

Wait a minute!  Are you saying, Rabbi, that we are  acting no differently from those who do not believe when we are frantic about how we are to get along in this world?  It's true, though.  Those pagans have to do all sorts of rituals to get their gods' attention and I get the impression they are afraid that if they don't do exactly what their priests tell them to do, or they don't do the ritual in just the right way, the gods will punish them. They live in fear of their gods. But we don't!  We are God's children!  Oh, I get it. We need to not just say we are His, we need to act like His. 

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:25-34)

Oh.  Wow. You have been saying all along, Rabbi, that this Kingdom of God (not the one we see around us with all of our buildings and religious practices) is about relationships.  If we make our relationship with the Father our deepest goal, our deepest pursuit, then He will bless us, sustain us and show us that He is all too aware of our needs. 

Wow.  This Kingdom of God teaching feels like a much lighter load than the one I am used to carrying. 

.

You Gonna Have to Serve Somebody

The Kingdom of God is an odd place.  Why wouldn't you pursue wealth, treasures and money? 

Good question.  

If this world is it and nothing lies beneath nor beyond, then go for it.  Right?

But if there is something else, then we need to pause. Jesus is asking His listeners to pause and think about another way to pursue what life has to offer--but in this life, but in the life of the Kingdom of God. 

Consider:  

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, [generous*] your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy [stingy*], your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Matthew 6:19-24)

Treasures...the very word conjures up riches, luxury and a sense of adventure.  The word denotes a kind of abundance, almost a kind of hoarding of valuable things, all stashed to be admired.  At least to us.  

I was curious what the Greek word for "treasures" was. The word is used biblically to describe, "the place in which good and precious things are collected and laid up; a casket, coffer, or other receptacle, in which valuables are kept; a treasury; storehouse, repository, magazine; the things laid up in a treasury, collected treasures." [1] 

Hmmm.  Not too far off from our sense of the word. The word "wealth" signifies something that can be gotten quickly or over time. But "treasures" speak of time--amassing valuable items until the room is overflowing. Not only does the word in Greek describes what is stored--the items themselves--but also the place where such valuables are stored. 

So, Jesus is wanting us to consider both the valuable item itself and where it's put. 

So, if we pursue and amass treasures that are earthly, we have a problem.  Creatures such as moths and vermin get into those things (clothing, textiles, food, anything that can be eaten by little mouths) and they will destroy them.  I remember my mother using moth balls to protect her woolen sweaters.  I have had mice get into a quilted weekend bag and chew through the fabric, taking the bits for nesting material.  My husband's Corvette seat had most of its stuffing removed from underneath it to also provide bedding for some wee mice.  

In a world where houses are standing on the ground, wee creatures getting into things is not unusual. Jesus' audience all have lots of stories of taking valuable items out of storage, only to find them  shredded and full of mouse poop.  Horrified, the person realizes the items is past redemption.  (It is no wonder that the Egyptians made the cat into a goddess--cats saved their granaries from mice and their destructive ways.)

But now Jesus moves from the items themselves to the place where those items are kept. Thieves will break in and take what they can from any place a person stashes valuables. I am sure after awhile thieves know exactly where to look for them in a home, because most people place their items in the same places, thinking they are secure.   

In other words, those things you value here on earth, so will other people.  

People will admire you. People will envy you.  People who will sneer at you.  People will plan evil against you.  What drives you to acquire an abundance equally drives others.  You want more, so do  they. You got more. So do they. You may have even gotten your valuables in a shady way; why wouldn't they do so as well?

Bottom line:  The world gives and the world takes away.  If you live by the world's rules, you will never be at peace because someone, somewhere, wants what you have and will do anything to get it. 

Why do wealthy people live in virtually fortified compounds, with body guards, high walls or in gated or exclusive (we only trust people like us) communities?  Protecting all that wealth.  If wealth made people happy, then Hollywood would be a bastion of joy.  

Wrong.  

Now comes the punch line, if you will. Your heart stands by your treasure, like a guard dog.  Your heart worries about your treasures.  Your heart obsesses over them and wonders if they are safe, and if you can obtain any more. 

If you want to know the heart of a person, see where their heart hangs out. See what the person's focus in on.  The next verses speak to that:  If a person is focused on being generous, looking for ways to benefit others with their treasures, then that person walks in the light.  Why?  Because everywhere they look it's not for What can I get, but What can I give? 

This is the Kingdom way: Using the bounty God gives you to benefit others.  God isn't against the treasures--He's against the focus, the energy and the dissatisfaction that wealth brings, because it will never be enough.  Why?  Because we are wired to acquire His gifts: wisdom, service and communing with Him and others. Wealth is a false better, a counterfeit to what God really wants us to pursue:  Himself. 

But if we are stingy, we are full of darkness, because we don't see or want to see others in their need.  We pull away, either blaming them for their woe, or how we can't do enough anyway, or how I enjoy what I have, so I am not giving it away.

Now Jesus boils down His argument into its fundamental thesis:  What you love is your master--whether you want to accept it or not. Your wealth, your prestige, your status, whatever you love, you will serve.  

Dual loyalty is an illusion, for God and money occupy polar opposites.  

Money gratifies you right now. Strokes your ego.  Keeps you moving to obtain more. Makes you blind to others because you just focused on acquisition or protecting what you have. Makes you proud, desirous of others' approving nods. 

God wants you to find life in Him now and in the long haul  Your self needs to die.  You move to serve the Kingdom. Makes you see others as children of God and you look for ways to alleviate their suffering. God wants you humble, desirous of only His approval as a faithful servant.

Jesus was basically telling listeners that day, (to quote Bob Dylan) "You're gonna have to serve somebody.  It may be the Devil or it may be the Lord, but you're gonna have to serve somebody." 

The Kingdom of God is odd, isn't it? 

*Text notes for NIV on Bible Gateway.

[1] Strong's Concordance 

Piety Not Performance

I have been a worship leader for many years.  Music is one of those areas of the church where performance can start to out distance piety.

The reasons people join worship teams and perhaps go on to be a leader, or start out as one, are varied.  Some love to worship and being on a team means joining with other brothers and sisters and standing in the presence of God together.  Others want to learn to grow in their musicianship and playing with others is an excellent way to do that. Others want to expand their musical horizons by learning new songs and to be part of something creative and growing. 

But there is another side to this, and I have seen both.  Some people are frustrated musicians and want to be on stage (and admired) so they think a worship team is a substitute for that.  Others want to serve, but the need for validation takes over and they lose their love for worship. The focus shifts from God to themselves. Still others are intimidated because they keep comparing themselves to others.  They stop growing in their musical journey, because they think they will never be good enough. 

But God is in the business of helping us see our misguided priorities and is more than willing to help us realign them. 

God knows our hearts.  We can't see into the hearts of others, and some very pious people really are not.  There are others who struggle to do what God wants them to do, and feel they fail Him far too often.  

We assume that when people go up stage, their hearts are in the right place and they are sincere in what they are doing. That is a responsible assumption; otherwise, we may sit there, scornfully scanning other people, and trying to detect what they are really all about. 

Or we get so swept away in our admiration for them, we lose our objectivity.  We know they are pious (!) and if anyone asserts otherwise, we become defensive.  We think they are righteous people and everyone needs to agree with us.  

But admiration and fixation on another human being can become dangerous.  We look to them to model God for us; to be Jesus for us and to walk the walk for us.  We become (literally and figuratively) the audience and we lose motivation to be active in our faith.  

It's just easier to let the pastor open up the Word of God, and read it, so we don't have to.

It's just easier to let the worship leader and team sing and worship once a week, so we don't have to sing and praise God on our own.

It's just easier to let church be our walk, and we wait until next week for another chance to sing and learn.  

But Jesus is looking into acts of piety (giving to the needy and prayer) and now fasting, and He is not just concerned with the ones who are active in carrying on with those who watch. 

He says, “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matt. 6:16-18)

OK.  First, let's listen in on the Guy Faking the Grade: 

Oh, woe is me.  I am soooo hungry.  But I must endure.  I must show others I am a good person, who obeys the Law and does all that is required of me.  But how will others know I am fasting?  I know!  I walk around downcast, depressed, even put a bit of ash under my eyes to look exhausted and wan.  People will see me coming and admire me for my piety.  I will be on stage, as it were, modelling how to be righteous, and those who look upon me will sigh and think, "Wow.  I wish I were as pious as that guy!  He is such a spiritual giant."  I am looking forward to being admired.  Sometimes I don't even know what God thinks of me.  I feel I let Him down all the time.  But if others think well of me, (even if I am faking it) what harm can it do?  I will inspire others!

OK, Let's listen in on the Guy Who Thinks He Ain't Making the Grade:

Oh, woe is me.  I am soooo not like that guy!  He's fasting, long and hard (just look at his appearance!) and he is modelling what I'd like to be, but will never make it: a righteous person.  I see guys like him, whose hearts are so pure and wonder, what is wrong with me?  I fast and it lasts only about an hour.  I then go find something to eat, and feel such shame.  I can't even last an hour.  But this guy!  It looks like he's been fasting for days!  Well, maybe one day, but still!  It's way better than I can do.  How does he do it? Why can't I be like him?

Now, let's go back to the mountainside and watch these two as they listen to Jesus.

OK.  First, let's listen in on the Guy Faking the Grade: 

Uh-oh.  This Rabbi Jesus is trying to steal my thunder.  He's calling me an actor--someone who is acting out a role, one that does not reflect the real person.  But the mask I wear is good for others.  It's shows them how to be pious, even if I, under the mask, am not. What?  No?  The Rabbi is now saying that the admiration of others is the only reward I'll get.  Well, that's good, but where's God in all of this?  The admiration of others is a funny thing, that's for sure. One day, you're the top of the pops and the next day, down with the dogs. Oh, wait a minute.  The Rabbi is now saying that we are to look no different on those days we fast--same bright face, same combed hair.  Oh, now He's mentioning God!  We are not to seek to gain the admiration of others, but to earnestly seek time with our Father, alone and in sincerity about what we are doing. Hmmm.  That is more freeing, I must admit. I guess God will accept me, if I am honest with Him and with others.  Even if I am not the most pious person around, I need to be real with others, and share my struggles.  I guess if you try to be up on a pedestal, then no one can join you.  It's lonely at the top.

OK.  Let's listen to Guy Who Thinks He Ain't Making the Grade:

Wow. Are you saying, Rabbi Jesus, that if I sit with our Father, one on one, He will reward me?  But I feel so worthless.  Well, I guess a lot of that comes from comparing myself to other people, especially those I admire.  I can't compare myself to anyone if I am seated in my closet and talking to God.  I guess I wear a mask, too.  It's the mask of someone who acts happy, but deep inside, I feel worthless.  Yet, if I enter that closet, you, Rabbi Jesus, promise me God will be there with me.  I guess He'd rather have an honest sinner than a fake saint. 

You got it, gentlemen. 

Prayer 101

Rabbi Jesus, I am so overwhelmed by Your teachings, and yet I find myself stirred in my heart.  I have heard so many amazing things from You, I cannot take it all in, but I am trying.

This Kingdom of God seems to be a kind of upside world from the one I know.  All these people, sitting here on this hillside, have come to hear You teach on what we have heard from the Law and the Prophets. We have heard that, and more.  You say that You are not abolishing the Law, but fulfilling it-- using Your words. We didn't know that the Law needed fulfilling and yet we did.  Our Law had become a series of just rules and regulations, yet it also provided us with a community--a community of people, sustained by traditions, waiting for the Messiah, and trying to get meaning out of every day life's routine. 

Then You come along and tell us there is more. More to life.  More to loving our heavenly Father. More to loving one another. 

Yes, it is true...we often do the minimum to get by--we feel poor in spirit, but we relished retaliating against others and reviling those who we consider our enemies, or at least those who anger us.   

We want to be peacemakers, but it's far too easy to lash back--to stay angry.  The, with our hardened heart, we go and make offerings, all the while harboring hatred--this is not an acceptable thing in Your kingdom.  

We tell ourselves that marital fidelity is enough.  Lust is what other people do.  Looking is what I do.  You say that infidelity begins in the mind and that sin isn't worth being cast into hell over; we must get rid of whatever causes us to sin.

You want us to stay married and honor our wives; just sending her away due to disappointment is not reason enough; how often have I disappointed my wife?  She should have sent me away a long time ago.

You tell us to say "yes" or "no" to whatever we are swearing to do--no fancy words and no using God's name as a kind of seal to the deal--God is to be honored, not used as insurance. 

Love my enemies. Whew. That is a tough one.  But if the Kingdom opens its door to others--our enemies--then we must love them as well as those who are easy to love.  Go the extra mile.  Turn our cheeks when they lash out. Show, by our love, how God loves. 

Then, whatever we do on behalf of this Kingdom, we do it for God and for Him alone, and not for the praise from others.  If we give or we pray, it's in front of the Father, in a quiet place and in adoration of who He is and what He has done for us. 

Now You are telling us how to pray.  Oh, Rabbi, we know how to do that--yet, I guess we don't. We babble on and on, assuming that the more we say, the more the Father will listen.  We would hate to have our wives and children to prattle on and on, and yet we think the heavenly Father is honored by this seemingly pious behavior.  

You are giving us a model, aren't You?  It zeroes in very quickly to the essentials.  I guess I spend a lot of time distracted, trying to get my bearings before the Lord, but You, Rabbi, have given us a way in: quickly, reverentially and adoringly.

Thank you for not just saying how we are not to pray; thank you for showing us.

"Our Father in heaven"--Yes, that is where He is and we, even if we think mightily of ourselves, we dwell here. We are divine dirt. We are molded clay.  It was only God's breath that brought us to life.   

"Hallowed be Your name"--Yes, His name is above all others. We recite the Shema, declaring every day, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." His name is above all, mighty and merciful, ruling over His creation with truth and justice.

"Your kingdom come"--Yes, may it be so.  We so look to the day when there will be no more tears, sorrow or suffering. In fact, I wonder if this Kingdom of God You are teaching us about is that day already beginning...

"Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven"--Yes, I want to see God's will be done, for it is righteous and has our best interests at heart. The earth needs Your touch, God.  Is Rabbi Jesus doing this?

"Give us this day our daily bread"--Yes.  Just as the children of Israel gathered manna in the desert each day and double for the Sabbath, we must humbly ask for Your provision and trust You not only hear us, but You will act on it. God wants us to ask, not because He doesn't know, (or, perish the thought!) He doesn't care, but because He wants to commune with us.  Isn't that the meaning of prayer, after all?

"Forgive us our debts"--Yes!  Please do!  They are many and we need forgiveness every day!

"As we also have forgiven our debtors"--Uh-oh...You mean I have to forgive to be forgiven?  Whoa.  That's that "love your enemy" thing again, isn't it?  I know God desires to forgive us, but a lot of the time our sin is in response to someone else. So, it's a kind of yoke, isn't it?  One part of the yoke is over the shoulders of the transgressor, and one part is over the shoulders of the transgressee.  Hmmm.  But together, we can face the challenge and make something beautiful come out of it. Hmmm. 

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one"--Yes!  I don't want to be tested, like our brother Job, but if that happens, I trust You will deliver me, and then I have some forgiving to do,  right, Rabbi?  I must forgive myself, and anyone who is involved. 

You are now repeating the point that our forgiveness comes from our Father based on our forgiveness of others. I know when rabbis repeat something, it's really important. 

I guess this while kingdom thing is not just another way to do life--it's a world turned upside down, with love and forgiveness being the air we breathe, and our love for God is as joyful as a child running down a hill.  Maybe the Kingdom of God is for the children of God--who laugh, smile, forgive and adore.

I like this, Rabbi.  But, it's a challenge.  I guess it not just another man-made system of piety, but a parting of the Red Sea, where the former slaves walk on dry ground, with heads held high and hearts filled with joy.

Wow. I am glad I am sitting on this hillside today. 

I am glad You are here on this hillside as well. 

Prayer or Performance? Matthew 6:5-8

Prayer is a tricky subject. When people are called to pray in public, suddenly prayer takes on a whole new dimension.  If we are praying in private, and no one is listening but our heavenly Father, we feel safe.  God doesn't care if you are eloquent or halting in speech; He just wants to hear from you.

In the same way, when we are called to sing in public, suddenly music takes on a whole new dimension.  If we are singing in private, and no one is listening but our heavenly Father, we feel safe to belt it out, freely and unencumbered. It matters not at all if we hit the right notes.  If we singing from our heart, regardless of how it sounds, the Father is delighted.

God is not about performance.  When our acts of devotion become something other than a free expression of our love for Him, He is not delighted.  In the Kingdom of God, prayer is a lovely dialogue between Father and son, Father and daughter.  It is not for public consumption, even if it's done in public. Jesus is very clear about how it should be done and the motivation behind it:

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (Matt. 6:5-8)

OK, Rabbi Jesus.  I am beginning to think You are against us doing anything in public on behalf of our faith.  Well, I guess I am being hasty.  You just don't want us making a big deal when we give to the poor.  I supposed if I am handing some coins to a beggar and I make a big noise so everyone will look at me, they are also looking at the beggar, which surely would be embarrassing to him.  No one, who is down and out, wants people staring at them and us making a big deal will do just that.  I guess the Father sees everything, and we don't need approval of our piety from anyone but Him, so it makes sense that we don't do everything as if we are on stage. 

Yeah, those big and loud prayers gushing from someone is annoying.  Their flowery words, their "look at me, I am so pious!" is nauseating.  I get it why you call them "hypocrites"--that's the word the Greeks use for their actors. They're people who put on masks and pretend to be an old woman, or a servant or a rich man, and yet underneath they just regular folks, willing to say and do whatever it takes to have the audience like them. No depth, just a mask.  No substance, just lines uttered.  No sincerity: just memorized words and emotions to entertain. 

Yes, I see how that would be offensive to our Father. 

Jesus wanted those who enter the Kingdom of God to be sincere sons and daughters of God, not because of lineage and history, but because of love. Lineage and history are important for sure, but they are no replacement for words spoken from a heart that wants to love mercy and justice and walk humbly with God, as the prophet Micah entreated the people of Israel long ago to do.

More piety, more reward?  What a terrible formula to operate under as a son or daughter of God.  Jesus is adamant that any reward such people are seeking, for having made their relationship with God so public and formulaic, will be only what they receive from others. How shallow is that?  People only admire you for so long, then they will conspire to bring you down.  

Admired one day, despised the next.

Jesus offers the solution for public acclamation:  Go right to your closet, shut the door and pray to God.  Unhindered. Unrehearsed.  Unadmired.  That will bring a smile to God's face, as He watches you prayerfully talking to Him, and only Him.  The reward will come to you and the answer will be given to you, not because you are all that and a bag of chips, but because you prayed with love in your heart.

But be careful.  Even sincere people can fall into a trap of asking over and over, heaping words upon words and a sense that God isn't listening, because nothing is happening. Wrong.  Jesus is adamant that God hears you and already knows your need. He wants to commune with you and hear your heart. Going on and on, repetitiously, isn't the kind of prayer God delights in--you and I do not want to be talked to over and over, with the same idea with the same words being spoken.  God is no different.

But why does then God want us to pray if He already knows what we need.  I know my children need dinner, but when they ask me, "Hey, Mom!  When's dinner?" we make a connection.  We talk, we share and we may even veer off the subject of dinner and talk about other things.

Our Father is no different.  He wants to make a connection with us, share with us, and talk about many things. 

His lack of action is not a lack of love--many things must go into place for a prayer to be answered.

Let me finish with an analogy, which I think will get the point across.  

I have two English springer spaniels, and meal time is a big deal for them.  We will ask, "Do you want dinner?" and they get so excited, they can hardly contain themselves. I scoop a cup of dog food into their respective bowls, and they chow down without hesitation.

I answered their "prayer" (a sincere desire) about having dinner.  

But do they have any idea what it took to get that scoop of dog food? I had to go to the store and buy a bag, and load it into my car and bring it home.

I have spent many years working, so I could buy a car.  I had to spent many years working to buy a house.  I have to spend my money wisely so I have enough money to pay the house and car payments and then enough to afford the dog food.

It's not just any dog food.  It's a specific brand, recommended to me by their breeders.  I can't give them just any old amount; too much and they get porky, too little and they get too thin. 

I have gone to many stores searching out this brand and the right size of the kibble bits. I only buy a certain size bag, because the really big bags are too heavy for me to lift. 

But if you were to ask my dogs, they would say, "We are praying Mommy feeds us.  She only answers us twice a day, and only gives us a small (in our opinion) amount. Sometimes, she is gone and comes home late (in our opinion) and we eat later than usual.  We bark and bark to remind her, but she tells us to settle down. We try. We just wish Mommy would feed us way more often, and give us way more food.  We don't always understand her, but we know she loves us."

God must do many things to bring about an answer to prayer.  His seemingly tardiness is putting everything in place (most of which we do not see nor understand) and giving us His best--not just any old answer, but His brand, filled with good things and His love.

We can bark to remind Him again and again, but He'd rather have our love, even if we don't understand it all.

That's why it's called faith--we trust God knows what's best for us, even if we disagree with Him.  Just as my dogs cannot begin to understand the complexities surrounding that scoop of food, we as finite beings cannot understand the workings of our divine Father.  Jesus is showing us how the Kingdom operates: on God's love. 

It's a beautiful basis for this Kingdom, but it takes our faith to keep standing on His promises. 

Who Gets the Glory? No, Really...

How often have you driven past a guy holding a cardboard sign and turned away/glared/felt guilty or handed him some money, all the while wondering if you did the right thing.

I tend to help women over men. I will stop for a woman stranded on the road.  Having grown up in LA during the time when serial killers were making the news nightly, I will not just drive by someone who is vulnerable.  

But sadly, women are used to lure people to help them, while an abusive man is standing by, knowing people's compassion will win the day and he will grab whatever she brings in. 

Sometimes, you feel it's a no-win situation.  What will they spend the money on? Drugs, alcohol and whatever they are using to numb themselves--are we contributing to their demise?   Once, I offered to take a woman grocery shopping.  She stayed outside with her son, and I went and bought groceries. I brought them to her and I gave her son a little stuffed animal. I felt I had done the right thing--but the doubt always remains.

I have brought water to people stranded in their cars on a hot day; I talked with an anxious motorist until she was calm enough to drive away, and I bought water and bread to a mentally ill man who was wearing a sweater on a hot summer day and who was attempting to walk along the highway that was going into the mountains. 

This list is not untended to impress you; it's my way of saying I just don't drive by with a guilty conscience every time nor do I help every single person I see. 

When I do, I pray it's the right and safe thing to do.

When I encounter someone, I ask over and over, "Spirit, is this what You want me to do?"  If I don't get a clear directive, I pray for the person and keep driving.  The Spirit is very clear; my niggling doubts are not from Him, and I also don't want to act from guilt.

Guilt is a powerful tool to get people to act in ways they might not otherwise consider.  The people who stand begging for a "job" have many things going for them: (1) a torn piece of cardboard indicating they are so down and out they had to scrounge in a dumpster just to get a sign (2) the sign says "God bless," indicating you are serving God if you give them money and they are really grateful for it (3) they are desperate for any show of human kindness, so they will wave and smile at you (4) the goal isn't a job but money, but their "willingness" to work means they want you to know that they aren't just begging (5) they are there "spontaneously," being as desperate as they are, despite picking locations that are strategic--such as intersections where you can't talk to them, get their story and find out if they have sought out services (6) have they actually applied for a job, or are they implying that no one will hire them so they have to beg?

Not a flattering picture, is it?  And yet, it must work, for there is no shortage of people every day out there, sign in hand and asking for money. 

As Christians, how are we to handle the "giving to the poor" thing?

Jesus is not asking us to give everything we have to the poor; He is not advocating indiscriminately giving them money, for we may be assisting the person to pursue sin. He isn't asking us to ignore the plight of the poor or have distain for them. He is asking us in these verses form Matthew 6:1-4, to have the right motivation as we give. The right posture.  The right heart.

What does He say? 

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.  So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matt. 6:1-4)

Hmmm.  So these verses seem to indicate that there were those who made a big show of their philanthropy.  Hmmm.  Why would people do that?

Wait a minute, Rabbi Jesus!  You said earlier that we are to be salt and light, and that we should shine our light, so others will see what we are doing, and praise God because of that!  Oh.  The praise and focus is on our Father, not in us.  We are just the candle.  God is to be praised because of the light. Oh.  Got it now.

Is there a modern equivalent?  

Yes.

Instead of looking at our big church with all of its programs, and admiring it, it is better to ask:  What is God doing in my church?

Instead of putting a teacher or pastor on a pedestal and admiring him or her, it is better to ask:  What is God doing through this person?

Good deeds are good deeds, and benefit the recipients, but in the Kingdom of God, good deeds should point to God.

We, Christian or not, grow prideful when people focus on us or on our church--its programs, its worship team, its influence in the culture--but we forget one important thing when our eyes are on the tangible:  Who gave us the resources, talents and knowledge to do these things in the first place?  

In the parable of the talents, it was the master who gave the men the money--although the amounts were different, the master expected the men to use the talents to benefit the master. 

Instead of, "Wow!  Look at what those men did with the talents!" our response should be, "What a wonderful master who knew his servants so well that he empowered them to go out and increase what he gave them!"

Jesus is asking His listeners to remember who gave them the resources in the first place and the opportunities to disburse them:  God.  So, trumpeting your giving and making a big show of your generosity is contrary to the silent but sure working of a person in the Kingdom of God.  If you don't get any acknowledge or praise, so what?  Your Father will reward you, and that's way better than anything man has to offer.

God reminds the children of Israel, before they enter the Promised Land, how easy it will be for them to forget Who provided for them to enter in the first place, and how He made all this abundance possible:

"When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.  Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, 'My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.' But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today." (Deut. 8:10-18)

"When you are satisfied..." That is the key element here.  No longer were the people faced with insurmountable challenges: being enslaved, wandering in the wilderness with its poisonous denizens, lacking food and water, and just surviving day to day. Now, the people are settled in, with prosperity and creature comforts all around them.  But, beware when arrogance begins to settle in:  Look at what we've done!  We are so amazing that we were not only given this land but we made it into what it is today!  Go us!

Humans are not very good at taking God's blessings in the good times and turning them into praises.  We are satisfied, thinking that our prosperity and satisfaction comes from something we did, forgetting way too quickly that it is God Who gives us the abilities and the resources in the first place. Oh, we are very quick to call on God to rescue us from things we cannot do, but once we can do something, our focus narrows down to us. 

Giving to the needy is a noble thing.  Looking and praying for opportunities to help others is a part of God's kingdom. 

But we must first praise God for giving us the resources to give away.  

We need to praise God for inspiring us to give and the wisdom to know who to give to and how much. 

At the center of the Kingdom of God is God, not us.  We are happy servants, wanting our Master alone to receive the glory and praise. 

His joy about our obedience is reward enough.  

Tax Collectors and Pagans? Really, Jesus?

Jesus knows who the enemies are as He preaches from that mountainside.  He isn't unaware of the Romans walking down the streets of Jewish towns, eyeing everyone with suspicion and contempt. 

He knows what awaits Him at the hands of the Romans, when they decide they have had enough of this troublemaker from Galilee. 

He knows all too well the adversarial gaze of the religious leaders whose jealousy and anger dangerously boils beneath the surface.

He knows what awaits Him at the hands of these leaders when the people talk of a man being resurrected and His claims of God being His Father cross the line from itinerant rabbi to blasphemer and unforgivable upstart. 

Both parties, who detest each other, will one day unite in common cause to rid their world of this Man whom the people respect and listen to, unlike themselves.  Who listens to the Romans?  Who listens to the religious leaders?  But this poser from Nazareth... 

Jesus knows His enemies and He knows ours:  Our neighbor, our family member, ourselves. So after talking about not allowing retaliation rule over our grievances with one another, but allowing love to recapture the situation, He then takes us deeper into our relationship with those who we consider our enemies:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matt. 5:43-48)

Later, in answering which of the Old Testament's commandments are the greatest, Jesus will summarize it this way:

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matt. 22:37-40)

First, let's visit the Jewish Law as presented in Leviticus and see what it says:

"When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God."

As You speak Rabbi, I am thinking about the verses in our Law.  You are not getting rid of our Law but You seem to be refreshing our thinking about it.  We have listened way too long to the religious leaders' interpretations and I think we have missed out on what the Law really says.  OK, Rabbi, You are defining who is our neighbor, aren't You? It's the poor and those who are not Jewish--the ones who live in our land but aren't one of us.  

"Do not steal.  Do not lie.  Do not deceive one another."

OK, that's fair, Rabbi.  I wouldn't want anyone stealing, lying or deceiving me, so I shouldn't do that to anyone.

"Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord."

I understand. We should just let our "yes" be "yes" and our "no" be "no."  I am listening, Rabbi!

"Do not defraud or rob your neighbor.  Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight."

Yes, Rabbi, I would want to be paid promptly and having trust between me and my neighbor are essential if me and my neighbor are to get along.

"Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord." 

One day, I may become blind or deaf, or someone in my family.  That kind of treatment is so unkind.  Life is hard enough for them; we should not make it harder. 

"Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly."

We want justice when we are wronged but we want mercy when we are the wrongdoer.  The courts need to be impartial and so should we.  There shouldn't be two kinds of justice, one for the rich and one for the poor. If anyone needs protection in the courts, it's the poor, especially if the accuser is rich. 

"Do not go about spreading slander among your people.  Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord."

Yes, if I spread rumors that assassinate my neighbor's character, people might come after him or drive him away.  Lies endanger people and I should never be party to such talk. 

"Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt."

I want to love others, like You do, Rabbi. Instead of accusing my neighbor and running into court, I need to go and talk with my neighbor.  Resentment can turn into hate way too quickly.  I am listening to Your words!

"Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord." (Lev. 19:9-18)

Wow, Rabbi, that's the defining idea, isn't it?  I love myself and look out for myself; I need to do so because God says "I am the Lord" after His decrees--He takes this all very seriously and as a follower and child of the Most High, my behavior needs to reflect that truth.  Can't bless my neighbor and the nations if I do otherwise!  Now, You are telling me to expand my definition of "neighbor."  It's my enemies--instead of cursing them, I am to pray for them?  You say that shows my sonship to my Father in heaven.  He loves us both--fallen and forgiven, chosen and cursed, loved and loathed. True, the rain falls on both of us--He still cares for those who do not care for Him.

It's easy to love those who are lovable, treat us kindly and have our best interests at heart.  That's not fair, Rabbi, to compare us to tax collectors and pagans when we love those who love us!  But I suppose You want us to remember it's the unlovable who need love the most. I think that word "perfect" You are using means that we should be people of integrity and virtue, and we are maturing everyday towards that. [1] After all, God is the One who reflects morality without flaw; if we are His, how can we settle for less? 

So, in other words, when our leaders teach us what is contrary to the Word of God--that hating our enemies is someone OK with Your Father--we need to read it for ourselves and meditate on its true meaning. 

Our roots have shriveled, Lord, trying to draw water from our leaders' springs. But the psalm says, 

"Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers." (1:1-3)

I want to draw deeper into the springs You are taking us to--I am thirsty. I can't completely blame the leaders for that--I bear responsibility for letting them think for me. But You give me hope, Rabbi Jesus, that deeper springs await.






[1] "Perfect." Strong's Concordance. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5046/kjv/tr/0-1/