Dearest e-votees-
The appointed texts for this week are full of gracious forgiveness (or a stunning counter example in the case of the unforgiving servant).
Our transgressions are removed from us as far as the east is from the west (pretty far) in our Psalm. We are given counsel by Paul on not judging others too harshly if they practice their piety differently than we. Jesus reminds to forgive seemingly without limit. Joseph shows us what it looks like when he welcomes his brothers who left him for dead before they sold him off as a slave.
May God shape our days by larger-than-life, undeserved and seemingly unrelenting forgiveness (which has already happened at baptism) and may we bear that forgiveness out this week in the world.
Peace,
Karl
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Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God. We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.”
So then, each of us will be accountable to God.
The appointed texts for this week are full of gracious forgiveness (or a stunning counter example in the case of the unforgiving servant).
Our transgressions are removed from us as far as the east is from the west (pretty far) in our Psalm. We are given counsel by Paul on not judging others too harshly if they practice their piety differently than we. Jesus reminds to forgive seemingly without limit. Joseph shows us what it looks like when he welcomes his brothers who left him for dead before they sold him off as a slave.
May God shape our days by larger-than-life, undeserved and seemingly unrelenting forgiveness (which has already happened at baptism) and may we bear that forgiveness out this week in the world.
Peace,
Karl
-------------------
Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God. We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.”
So then, each of us will be accountable to God.
Who appointed us to judge other servants of God? Many of us seem quick fill that role. We look askance at others in our church or others in our denomination or other denominations. We sometimes even look in the mirror and heap judgment on that servant of God. By what authority do we dare to do such a thing? Our own?—bad news. Authority that comes with the stench of sulfur and discontented formerly angelic beings?—worse news yet. God is the only one who gets to truly hold God’s servants to account.
When we presume to take on God’s roles and God’s authority bad things happen. That is the real message of the garden of Eden. That was the not-so-badly imported message in Bruce Almighty. That is God’s words towards us today.
None of us have any standing before God on our own merits. Yet “the Lord is able to make them stand.” And the Lord is able to make us stand too. God will bring God’s work begun in us to completion (see Philippians 1:6). God will bring God’s work begun in others to its completion too (again, see Philippians 1:6).
What are our meat and veggie fights today? What are things that we are so sure we are on God’s side acting as God would have us act? Where do we sneer at others because they are too stodgy and restricted? Where do we sneer at others because they are too libertine and careless? How quickly do we fall into the trap of judging others. We may not physically throttle them like the unforgiving servant but throttle them we do. And as the parable suggests we really ought to be careful with that behavior. It could lead to disastrous results for us.
God, help us live into your grace. Help us love quickly, judge slowly, forgive often and bless you always. Amen.
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