Wholesale Gospel

Not long ago, I was in Walmart and got to thinking, how come I have to park so far away from the entrance and wait so long at register even when they have 15 or more cashiers running at quick paces? I look around the store and there are people, all kinds of people from every walk of life. I look on the shelves and they are always full and there are several choices, several brands, and several prices to create the “shopping feeling” that some of us pride ourselves. I got to thinking why Walmart is so popular. Perhaps you have too. I think Walmart’s marketing niche is to the shoppers who want a lot stuff inexpensively with the least amount of commitment and loyalty to the products or the store. It’s the American way – marketplace mentality – getting something of perceived value for the least amount of money -- the least amount of pain.

Given this same context, I began to think about the gospel and the parable of rich man. The story of the rich man is a story of a man who truly believed that he was exceptional and believes, without a doubt, that he would inherit eternal life. Jesus listens to the rich, young ruler. After a brief lecture by Jesus, clarifying goodness, the rich, young ruler reflects on Jesus’ lecture and assures himself, and presumably Jesus, that he has kept all the commandments and in so doing has honored God and is deserving of eternal life. He even explains to Jesus that he has done all of these things since his youth.

There is a final statement by Jesus that acknowledges his faithfulness to the commandments, but goodness is not measured by our obedience to the commandments, faithfulness is measured by our commitment to the sick, the marginal, the rejected, the poor and the lonely. Jesus asks for a greater commitment than the a commitment to the marketplace. Jesus says, “There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come follow me” Luke 18:22. The scripture goes on  to say, “But when he heard this he became sad; for he was very rich.” Luke 18:23

 

What Jesus was asking from the rich man is equally as difficult for those of us with moderate income, perhaps even no income. This parable is not so much about giving money to the poor as it is about giving our life, our livelihood, and our very hearts to live a life worthy of kingdom values – Christ kingdom values. Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is not about inexpensive abundance, like the choices at a Walmart store. Faith is not about silly gimmicks and “throw-away” merchandise. Discipleship is about a value that cannot be measured in dollars and cents, sales and savings, choices and full parking lots. No, discipleship is a life change that requires more than one’s status in the world, how much gold is in our financial portfolio, or the number of vehicles we own. The gospel is not wholesale – living out our discipleship with the least amount of effort. No, it is so much more than that and the rich, young ruler may have a problem giving up his choices and probably didn’t care much for Jesus’ judgment that demonstrated worth in the form of sacrifice, but this is what real discipleship is all about. The promise that Jesus gives to us is a truth that can prevail if we can trust him.  He says, “What is impossible for mortals is possible for God” Luke 18:26. May it be so for us today? 

Prayer: 

God, I come to you with my wealth, my  abundant gifts, and as a rich young ruler and  I ask the same question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” You’ve answered the question with your life. May I be as courageous and strong as you, believing that what is impossible for a mortal, such as I, is possible with God. Amen.

From whence does my help come?

Recently, I listened to the youth in my Sunday morning class talk about what they did to bring the New Year in! They talked about sledding, they talked about late night parties, and they talked about the excitement of ringing in the New Year with family and friends. New Year’s Eve is like the capstone of our Christmas celebration. For four weeks we prepare to receive the Christ child, anticipating the light that comes into our darkness and shines all around us and we take that same light – that light so much a part of Christmas night, and bring it with us into the New Year. 

It may have been a cold winter night for the psalmist or perhaps an ending and a new beginning similar to our New Year celebration when the psalmist penned the words, “I lift my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from?” Whatever the context of the question, we can conclude that our psalmist was curious and in a reflective state of mind. Such is the opportunity that greets us as we begin another year. It’s easy to find a New Year’s party or spend a quiet evening with family, ringing in the New Year with a glass of wine, bubbly grape juice or a toast to the New Year with some Champagne. It takes less revelry and a little more time to stand at the threshold of a New Year and ask, “where does my help come from?” It is probably not something that many would ask at midnight after all the shouting, but maybe this is the time – the time to look to the year past and say thank you for the memories, the joys, the sorrow, the challenges, and the unexpected events that changed our lives. Maybe this is the time to lift our eyes to the hills, acknowledging God’s careful and attentive attention to each one of us and to our families and friends. This is the time to look into the New Year with unfettered hope and a wild imagination that envision a closer relationship with God and God’s heavenly realm.  

I lift my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? The psalmist answers, “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth…” The psalmist wrote a song, a poem. The wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The angels brought a song to sing and the shepherds brought their curiosity, their sheep and their excitement about the Child King, the Messiah. In our secular world of memorable Christmas songs, the drummer boy plays his drum for baby Jesus and Mary keeps all of these things as special memories of the heart.  What can I give? I can give my life. As we leave the light of Christmas behind and cross the threshold of this New Year, may we embrace this year confident that the Lord will keep us from harm and watch over our coming and our going from this day on and forevermore? 

Prayer: 

God, one year has passed and a New Year is within our grasp and you have made this possible for us. God you created the world, your words have been heard through the ages and your voice calls us from a future yet unknown. God, may the light of baby Jesus shine upon us and may we find peace in knowing that you do not leave us alone and watch over us on this day and forever. Amen.  

A Newspaper Boy's Advent:Love

“Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.” (1 John 3:18) Besides many retail stores on newspaper route number one, I had a few residents at the end of my route.  There were a few customers that were more memorable than others. One such customer was elderly man who had difficulty walking and was on oxygen from time to time. I remember this man who would wait expectantly for his afternoon newspaper and was so happy when he could open it up at the end of the day and review the news since his last delivery.  It was a warm feeling to see the twinkle in his eyes, sitting on his porch waiting for his newspaper. Many years later it occurred to me why this simple act of receiving the newspaper was really an act of love. I was the newspaper boy responsible for delivering the newspaper – the daily news and for this dear man, I was a messenger of God’s love. 

What is love? Love is a relationship. Whether it is a family member, a friend, a sibling, a spouse, it is a relationship. Love is the dependable paper boy who could be counted on each day to be a messenger of love. It wasn’t the news, the newspaper, the time of day that was so meaningful and what the elderly man was looking for, it was my relationship with him.  I remember spending several minutes each day talking to my elderly customer. I remember this man as not having family and he didn’t get out much. His neighborhood was pretty limited. There was a Convent, a school, and a Catholic Church and so I and the mailman were sometimes the only the human faces that this elderly man saw in many days – we represented something fundamentally human – a meaningful and dependable relationship – love in action. “Little children, let us love…in truth and action.” This is love. 

This is the fourth week on the journey toward Christmas morning. It is the week of love. Late this evening, in the early hours of Christmas morning a child, the son of a loving, living God will be born amongst us. This night shows us a God that is more than a spiritual presence in our midst. This night is about a God that is incarnational. It is about love in action.  It came upon the midnight clear and the world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing – to sing a song about the love that is born this night, love not in word or speech, but love in truth and action.

Just as the elderly man waiting for news from the world comes to its fulfillment in delivery of the afternoon newspaper, so does our wait for God’s incarnational and unconditional love come to its fulfillment in a drafty stable, on a cold night when all the world is hushed and waiting for the song the angels sing, “Fear not, I bring you good news…”  This is love in truth and action. 

Prayer:   

God you are love and love is what we celebrate this night. Help us, O God, to see our lives as more than random and isolated events that have no connection to one another. Help us, O God, to be the incarnational love that brought you to earth in baby Jesus. Help us to love, not in words or speech, but in truth and action and may the gift we bring tonight and every day be pleasing to you. Amen.

A Newspaper Boy's Advent: Peace

A Paper Boy’s Advent: Peace

It was long before Mp3 players, iPods, and Walkmans that I delivered papers to retail stores throughout the downtown and I remember the excitement I felt when delivering papers to the retail stores at Christmas time.  Going into the stores, listening to the taped music piping through the sound system quickened a young boy’s Christmas spirit and brought joy and a quiet peace that blessed a paper boy delivering his newspapers along paper route number one. 

The familiar songs of Christmas bring a peace that feeds my spirit in a time that has become more harried and stressful in recent years. I enjoy listening to the familiar, beloved Christmas songs that have been a part of my life from the days of hanging tinsel on the branches of the family Christmas tree. Whether it’s Frosty the Snowman, Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire or Hark the Herald Angels Sing, the music of Christmas brings me peace – peace that gave me joy along route number one or a quiet peace that blesses my daily life today.

The candle of peace is the second candle of the Advent season and one that not only speaks to what we would hope for all human kind in all the nations of our fragile world, but it is also what we pray for our own spirits. Peace like the gentle falling snow on cold December night or the quiet, peaceful music streaming throughout a retail stores is God’s gift to us in this season – this season of waiting, hoping and anticipating. May our spirits be filled with peace in this season and may the music of Christmas be the medium in which the angels of God bring us daily blessings.

Prayer

Even in the midst of crazy holiday schedules, harried family members, tinsel, and Christmas music, may we find the peace we seek and the simple joys of everyday tasks whether it is delivering papers, preparing food for the family, or preparing our hearts for the birth of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

A Newspaper boy's Advent:Joy

There is an Easter hymn that I like very much. It is called, “There will be Joy in the Morning.” Although the specific arrangement has been sung by many church choirs over the years at Easter time, it is also a message for this season of Advent. The chorus builds with the words, “There will be joy! There will be joy in the morning on that day. There will be joy, joy, joy in the morning on that day!” Joy is a wonderful expression for the season Advent too. 

As I recall my newspaper route in the retail section of a medium size town, I remember what joy looked like to a newspaper boy at Christmas time. Joy looked like the Christmas decorations hung beautifully from telephone poles and across telephone wires that lined the streets of downtown. Joy looked like the chocolate bag of candy that the clerks at J.C. Penny’s offered to me at Christmas time. The bustling, busy shoppers loaded down with packages and bows looked like joy to me. The first crunchy, tasty bite into a steaming Coney Dog smothered in onions at a storefront restaurant and the Christmas punch and cookies at the fire-house filled my heart with joy. Oh yes, the warm, welcoming smile of the owners at Gustafson’s Paint store – so warm and friendly that you thought you were visiting you grandmother looked like joy to me. The narrow, ancient steps leading up to the Odd Fellows club and the smoke filled room, the clink of billiard balls, and 25 cents for a bottle of Coke looked like joy to a paper boy at Christmas time.  This is joy – joy, joy, joy in the morning on that day! 

What does joy look like to you?  The Christmas story is a story of mystery, a story of joy, and story of promise. Mary was surely surprised about the news she received from an angelic newspaper boy named Gabriel. Once the shock wore off and she began to process this recent news, joy looked like a song to her and with a heart of gratitude and soul of grace. “And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.” (Luke 1:46-48) This is joy! This is Advent.

Prayer:

God, you fill our hearts with joy at this time of year. You are joy to us! God, in your mercy, may the eyes of our hearts and the voice of our soul, like Mary, sing praises to you – praises of joy and may we see the joy of everyday as one more surprise from the one who gives us life. Amen.