Hello,
It's been a little while since my last post. I will resume our Rich Fool parable series soon. But today, I wanted to share a little of what has been going on with me. (And, hopefully, offer you some encouragement in the process!)
The past month has been a bit of a whirlwind for me. Back in August, I had a little "episode" (not sure what else to call it...) where I passed out. I am okay—it was probably a combination of the Florida heat and dehydration. But to be on the safe side, I've been getting a few tests on my brain. (And so far, they've all confirmed that I do, in fact, have one!)
Doctor visits take up time. And, as you probably already know from your own experiences, they also take up energy. Mental energy, emotional energy, etc. And so, I haven't been able to focus much on my writing. It's one of those things where you say, "I'll get a fresh start on it tomorrow." And then four weeks go by, and you can't believe it!
It's easy for me to feel guilty in times like these. I put expectations on myself, then beat myself up when I don't meet them. I am sure you can relate to this in some aspect of your life, whether it's family, work, or spiritual growth. So today, I want to share a little of what's been helping me through this time.
One thing that takes a toll on our energy is the thoughts we think. Lately, I have been pondering these words from Paul:
Yesterday
All my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday
Oh, wait... That's the wrong Paul! And as much as I love that song (I think it's my favorite Beatles song), that's the kind of thinking that can bring us down. Here are the words I've been pondering from the other Paul:
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3–5, NIV. Emphasis mine)
Our negative thoughts and worries weigh us down. But Paul tells us we have access to a divine power capable of completely demolishing them. He tells us to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." But I have to be honest—that sounds so cliche. I have heard that verse so many times. And the trouble is, when you get so familiar with Bible verses, they tend to go in one ear and out the other. I want to tell Paul, "Okay, buddy, that's nice. But I am having real fear and anxiety here. So can you give me some practical steps to take?"
But this week, I've been trying to take Paul's advice. What would it look like to take every thought captive? What does that even mean?
I think it means bringing every thought we have to Jesus and asking him to bring his peace and his truth to it. Every worry we have about our health. Every worry we have about whether we are checking off enough boxes on our to-do list. Every worry we have about tomorrow. If we have any thought that makes us anxious or fearful, we bring it to Jesus.
But this, of course, is easier said than done. I recently read that we have up to 60,000 thoughts per day! How many of those thoughts are bringing us fear, anxiety, and stress?
I am no expert, but I have found two things that may help when it comes to the battle of taking thoughts captive.
The first is to focus on today. Jesus tells us, "Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34). In that same sermon, he tells us to ask for daily bread (6:11).
Sometimes there is so much going on that our goal is to "just make it through the day." And that is a perfectly fine goal on some days. But if we string too many of those days together, then we end up "just trying to make it through a life." And that will be a scary thing to look back on.
Jesus gives us grace for each day. I am trying to find the joy in every moment. I can complain about having to go to a doctor's appointment. Or I can see the car drive to the doctor's as a moment of connection for me and Diana. Grabbing a chocolate cake pop on the way home can be a small reward for getting through the visit. Instead of trying to make it through the day, I am attempting to remain present even in the hard stuff because I know Jesus is in it with me. I don't get this right as often as I would like to, but I am becoming more aware of it, which is the first step.
The second thing is to have a community around you. Community is important at all times, but especially in stressful times. (But the best time to build that community is in the non-stressful times!)
If something is weighing you down, let a friend know. A thought is easier to take captive when we say it out loud. It loses its power. And when said out loud in community, you have a whole team of people ready to pounce on it! They can help you capture it and pin it to the ground.
This is a little of what I have been pondering lately. Thank you for allowing me to share it!
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Bigger Barns ≠ More Generosity
Parable of the Rich Fool, Part 3
This Week's Bible Reading: Luke 12:13-21 (focus on verses 18-19)
Supporting Passages: 1 Corinthians 15:12-34; Isaiah 22:1-14
There is a subtle lie about money that is easy to believe. It goes something like this: If we have more money, we will become more generous. But the parable of the Rich Fool is a warning that the opposite is true. The more money we have, the more we are tempted to stockpile it.
Last week, we saw how the rich man's abundant harvest led him to trust in himself. And now he has a problem. The ground has given him such a surplus that he has nowhere to store all the extra crops. I'm sure the people listening to Jesus' story wished they had that problem!
The man thinks fast and comes up with a solution:
Then he said, "This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I'll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’” (Luke 12:18–19, NIV)
The man's first reaction to abundance was to build bigger barns. Having more resources didn't automatically make him more generous. It turned him inward and led him to hoard the gifts God gave him. And this seems like the most practical thing to do. We even have a more diplomatic way of phrasing it: We don't hoard our wealth; we build it.
In the eyes of the world, this man isn't a fool. He is wise. And you know what? It's hard for me not to see this man as wise, too! I want to save for the future and make sure my family has enough. Is that really so bad, Jesus?
This is why it's important to remember the context of the parable. A young man came to Jesus worried about money. His main concern was about getting his share of the family inheritance. He thought it would be smooth sailing once got his piece of the pie. And I can relate to that. So often, I believe things would be better if I had a little bit more money. But Jesus wants us to see that in God's kingdom, unexpected freedom comes when we live life with an open hand.
The rich man in the parable had a plan set for the rest of his life. He was going to "eat, drink, and be merry." It sounds like a lot of fun! But there is something ominous about that phrase. When used elsewhere in scripture, it gives a sense of foreboding despair rather than joy.
In the book of Isaiah, the phrase paints a picture of how God's people celebrate when they should be mourning their sin. And in the New Testament, Paul uses it to describe how empty life would be if there were no hope of a future resurrection:
If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." (1 Corinthians 15:32, NIV)
In Jesus' parable, the phrase echoes this same feeling of hollowness. The man thought his stuff would make him free. But it came at a high cost. He had to build bigger barns to protect all he had accumulated. And what would it give him in return? At best, a few short years of luxury. (And, as we'll soon see, he didn't even get that!) Meanwhile, he missed out on participating in the hope of God's present and future kingdom. He missed out on seeing all the beautiful ways God wanted to work through him to bless others. To use language from the previous parable we explored, he buried his talent.
I don't want to wait to have a bigger barn to become more generous. But generosity isn’t always easy. That’s why I need to practice it.
There is an exit off the highway that my wife and I take to get home after church. As we roll to a stop at the light, I usually see a man standing by the side of the road. He is holding a sign asking for help. At that moment, I think, "I really need to make little baggies of food, water, and toiletries to give to people I see who are in need."
I am not proud to admit I have not done this yet.
Here's the honest truth: I don't need more money or resources to do this small act. Having more stuff won't make me more generous. If I am not doing it now, I won't do it no matter how much I have.
It's easy to feel guilty about this. But as I said at the start of this series, there is no shame with Jesus. He came to free us from the shackles of greed and anxiety and show us a better way to live.
And even if we’ve failed at this way of life a million times before, Jesus is gracious. He gives us new opportunities each day to blow the doors off our barn and be generous with God’s gifts.
Questions to Ponder:
What do you think of the man's plan to build bigger barns and enjoy life? How are his actions wise in the eyes of the world?
Take a moment to read this week's supporting passages. What meaning do they bring to the phrase "eat, drink, and be merry"?
Have you ever believed that having more money would make you more generous? What small ways can you practice generosity this week without needing a bigger barn?
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A Self-Made Fool
Parable of the Rich Fool, Part 2
This Week's Bible Reading: Luke 12:13-21 (focus on verses 16-17)
Supporting Passage: Colossians 1:15-23
Parables are an effective way to approach a topic indirectly. Jesus often used money as a stand-in to talk about something else.
In the parable of the Vineyard Workers, Jesus uses wages to talk about God's generosity to people who enter his kingdom. In the parable of the Unforgiving Servant, financial debt describes our sin. And in the parable of the Talents, bars of gold become opportunities to extend God's kingdom to the world. By speaking indirectly, Jesus gives his audience space to think about these topics.
But Jesus doesn’t always follow this formula. There are a handful of parables where Jesus takes on a topic directly. The Rich Fool falls into this category. The man's abundant harvest is not a metaphor for something "deeper." (It might be more comfortable if it were!) In this tale, Jesus addresses our relationship with money and possessions head-on.
The Rich Fool is one of Jesus' shorter parables, but he packs a lot of information into each line. Let's take a look at the introduction of the story and see what we discover:
And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' (Luke 12:16–17, NIV)
From this brief amount of information, two things stand out to me.
The first is that the man was already rich before this particular crop. He had hit the "jackpot" harvest before. Maybe many times.
The second is that the man has quite an ego. He seems proud of himself for his good fortune. Every time he opens his mouth, it's to talk about himself!
As I researched this parable, I came across an insight that made me chuckle. Jesus emphasizes that the ground did all the hard work to produce the harvest. And yet, the man pats himself on the back as if he were the sole reason for his prosperity.
Success can be dangerous if we forget how much we depend on God and others. Maybe the first time this man had an abundant harvest, he thanked God for it. He probably had servants who worked the land, and maybe he thanked them, too. Maybe he gave his surplus to those in need.
But as the ground kept producing for him, he began to take things for granted. He saw himself as the main reason for his success. Everything became about my crops, my barns, and my grain. He bought into the lie that he was a "self-made man."
In our culture, the illusion of the self-made man or woman is alive and well. We all love a good rags-to-riches story. It's inspiring to hear about someone who built a business out of their garage. After years of pouring in sweat equity, they are now reaping the rewards of their hard work. It's why Shark Tank is one of my favorite shows! Determination is a worthy quality to have.
But no matter how hard I work, it's impossible—literally!—to be self-made. God created and breathed life into me. He provided me with parents who fed me and clothed me when I was a fragile child. There are no self-made babies. Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk wouldn't be here today if no one had changed their diapers!
More than that, God placed us where we are in this moment of history. A pastor I knew used to talk a lot about the myth of being "self-made." He would quip, "You could have been born a beet farmer in medieval times." If you were born a serf in that time and place, no amount of "bootstrapping" would make you rich. Personally, I feel blessed to have been born in this era of technology. It has given me opportunities that a person with a disability might not have had even a generation ago.
So, how do we avoid the mistake of the Rich Fool? Well, when we take our focus off God, we grow bigger in our own eyes. But when we focus on God, we realize he is the source of all good gifts. It reminds me of one of my favorite Bible passages:
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:15–17, NIV, emphasis mine)
God is the one who sustains us. He holds every molecule of this wondrous universe together. And yes, it is good to work hard in life and do our best. But if we're not careful, success can make us self-reliant and blind to the generosity of God.
The first step to using our money and resources well is to recognize that it all comes as a gift from God. If I think I've achieved it myself, I become like the man in Jesus' parable.
I become a self-made fool.
Questions to Ponder:
What information do you gather about the rich man from Luke 12:16–17?
Why is it easy to lose sight of God in times of abundance and blessing? How can you remind yourself of his generosity during these times?
Why is the allure of the "self-made man or woman" so prevalent in our culture? What are some ways God has provided for you in your life?
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Money Makes The World Go Round
Parable of the Rich Fool, Part 1
This Week's Bible Reading: Luke 12:13-21
Supporting Passage: Luke 11:37-12:12
There are a lot of songs about our desire for money and stuff. The most honest one I've ever heard is the late '80s hit "I Wanna Be Rich." It gets right to the heart of the matter, doesn't it? As another song ("Money" from the musical Cabaret) puts it, money makes the world go round.
Maybe this is why Jesus talked a lot about money. There are many things in this world we can choose to trust in other than God. But for most of us, money is near the top of the list. In the parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus confronts the power that money and possessions have over us.
The parable of the Rich Fool is about a man who puts all his eggs in one "wealth" basket. He hoards his resources, thinking they will lead to a life of luxury and security. But when death sneaks up on him one night, he realizes he has put his trust in something that is now worthless to him. Today, we'll explore the context of this parable.
The gospel of Luke includes many of Jesus' teachings about money and how to treat the most vulnerable among us. One chapter before this parable, in Luke 11, Jesus gives a series of warnings to the religious leaders. One of these warnings is about how they use their wealth. Although they appear to be generous, they are not reflecting God's love into the world.
"What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things." (Luke 11:42, NLT)
The Pharisees were using their resources to check a box on their “God To-Do List.” It is easy for me to think like this, too. If I just give 10% of my money to the church, God will be happy, and I can do whatever I want with the rest. Jesus wants to untangle our hearts from this way of thinking.
Then, in Luke 12, Jesus tells a crowd of people not to worry because God cares about them deeply. God cares about every sparrow in the sky, and we are worth more than sparrows. As Jesus is in the middle of this speech about not worrying, a man comes to him with a request:
Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions." (Luke 12:13–15, NIV)
This scene is kind of funny to imagine. A young man elbows his way to the front of the crowd and says, "Yeah, yeah, Jesus, we get it. 'Don't worry.' Okay, sure. Now, please tell my brother to give me what's mine!"
This man probably had a legitimate gripe with his brother. Most likely, their father had died, and now they were arguing about who gets what. The man may have been the younger son, and his older brother was refusing to divide the land. I can't blame him for wanting what he thinks is rightfully his. We all want Jesus to take our side on whatever issue we are arguing about!
Rather than get involved in the family drama, Jesus tells the parable of the Rich Fool. I'm sure this surprised the man. He wanted vindication, not storytime with Jesus. But remember—Jesus loved this man. He wanted to open him up to the generosity found in God's kingdom. And he wants to do the same thing for us.
As we explore this parable, I want to acknowledge that money can be a hard topic to discuss. If money talk makes you uncomfortable, don't worry. I get it!
There is a lot of shame around money. It has the power to cut to our deepest core. Our identity can get wrapped up in it. No matter how much or how little we have, most of us have regrets about finances. We wish we had saved more. We wish we would have stuck to the budget better. And sometimes, having "a lot" can make us feel guilty, and having "too little" can make us feel worthless.
But there is no shame with Jesus. He wants to free us from the worry and anxiety we have about money. And I need my attitudes about money reshaped, too. That's why I'm excited to dive into this parable with you.
Like the Pharisees, I would love to have an exact equation for money. But Jesus does not give us an Excel spreadsheet of a God-approved personal budget. (Or an envelope system, if you want to go old school!) He doesn't say, "Save this much and give away this much." Instead, Jesus uses the parable of the Rich Fool to challenge our imaginations about how God's kingdom operates.
Money may make the kingdom of the world go round, but not the kingdom of God.
Questions to Ponder:
Take some time to read the parable of the Rich Fool and write down any initial thoughts you have.
What are some ways "money makes the world go round?" Why is it so easy to put our trust in money instead of God?
What emotions bubble up in you when you think about money? Before we explore this parable further, take some time to give any negative feelings you have to God. Ask him to free you of any shame and help you focus on Jesus' love and forgiveness.
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5 Things I've Learned About Making Peace With Others
This year, I have been thinking a lot about what it means to make peace with others. Like everyone else, I have less-than-perfect relationships in my life. The brokenness in this world—and in myself—causes fractures between me and the people I care deeply about.
I believe sin is anything we do that breaks the Shalom (the peace) we have with God, others, or ourselves. (I didn’t make that up myself. But it’s the best definition of sin I’ve ever heard.) Sin divides us. But Jesus offers us a path to restore those broken relationships.
In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus unveils a new way of living. He is like a king giving his inaugural address. He shows us what it looks like to live as citizens of God's Kingdom.
Jesus' vision is strange to us because God's Kingdom runs contrary to how humans normally operate. Sure, his ideas may seem cute and cuddly, but it's hard to imagine living them out in the "real world."
But that's the beauty of it all! If we open our imaginations to Jesus' way of life, we can experience a taste of heaven right here and now.
Jesus opens his inaugural address with a series of upside-down blessings. We may expect a king to say, "Blessed are the strong," or "Blessed are the popular." But instead, he says things like this:
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9, NIV)
Jesus values peacemaking in his kingdom. And I want to share five things I've learned about making peace with others.
These five things are not "steps" to take. I wouldn't call them "tips" either, because that makes the whole thing sound too easy. You can't systemize peacemaking. It's messy work!
These are just five things God has taught me over the past few months. So please take whatever is helpful to you, and feel free to share with me what God has taught you about peacemaking.
Okay, here we go...
1. Peacemaking is What Residents of God's Kingdom Do
As I said above, peacemaking is a core tenet of God's kingdom. If we are followers of Jesus, then we are peacemakers. There's no way around it!
No, we won't do it perfectly. We won't always get it right. But that's why we need Jesus to guide us.
For much of my life, I was a peacekeeper. I've never liked conflict. So, when problems came up, especially among family, I tried to keep the peace and make everyone happy.
But peacekeeping will exhaust you. It involves managing other people's emotions.
If I know Person A doesn't like Person B, I try to make sure they're never in the same room together.
If Person C and Person D have different views on a topic, I try to make sure that topic never comes up.
If Person E is easily angered, I always agree with them, even if I secretly disagree.
Does any of this sound familiar? I feel myself getting anxious just thinking about these scenarios!
Peacemaking is different. As a peacemaker, my goal is not to manage or change the other person. I know the only person I can control is myself. So, instead of passively trying to control situations, I choose to extend peace to others. This requires wading into tough conversations and acknowledging disagreements. It's difficult work!
In his series of blessings, Jesus also gives this one:
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6, NIV)
"Righteousness" seems like one of those churchy, Bible-y words. But all it means is to live in right relationship with God and others. As citizens of God's kingdom, we value being in right relationship with everyone. (Or, as the 13-year-old version of me might put it, being "cool with everyone.")
When a relationship is not right, whether with our spouse or the employee behind the fast food counter, we work to fix it. But we can't control how the other person responds.
It reminds me of Paul's words to the Romans:
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:17–18, NIV)
2. The Other Person is Messy, Broken, & Loved by God... Like Me!
Let's get specific. Think of a person you long to make peace with. You may have several people in mind, but start with one. It could be a difficult family member who makes things tense at every holiday gathering. Or maybe it's a coworker who constantly disrespects you.
I've learned that before I can make peace with someone, I need to reframe my view of them. I need to see them as a person who is messy and broken, and yet deeply loved by God.
This doesn't mean I ignore or overlook the ways they've hurt me. (That would be peacekeeping as opposed to peacemaking.) But it does mean I acknowledge that they have hurt in their life, too. I don't know all the things they're dealing with right now. Their anger may have nothing to do with me.
I also don't know what God is doing in their life. They are on a journey just as I am—a journey that's not in my control. So, before I do anything else, it's wise to ask God for wisdom and guidance.
A simple prayer might be, "God, I long to make peace with this person. But I can't do it without you. You know more about this situation than I do. You know what is going on in their life. You know the struggles they are going through. Please guide me as I attempt to make peace with them."
Along those same lines, I need to recognize I am not perfect, either. I am a broken person who needs grace every day. Thankfully, I, too, am deeply loved by God.
Peacemaking begins with having compassion for both the other person and ourselves.
3. Move Toward the Other Person With Love & Truth
I got this phrase from Tim Tedder, a counselor I saw many years ago. He always encouraged me to move toward others "in love and truth." Recently, I've been reflecting on what good advice this is.
Love without truth is a symptom of peacekeeping. We don't want to "rock the boat," so we hold in how we feel to keep the peace.
But truth without love also finds its roots in peacekeeping. How so? Well, when we hold in our true feelings long enough, we begin to grow resentful. And one day, the cauldron bubbles over, and we spew out words that may be true but are also filled with rage. The other person is taken aback by this. They had no idea we felt like this for so long.
Recently, I was in a situation where I needed to move toward another person in love and truth. They had said some things that I did not agree with. If I tried to ignore it, I knew resentment would build in me, and it would hurt our relationship in the future. So, I decided to be a peacemaker.
It wasn't easy. It took me out of my comfort zone. I even started the conversation with, "Hey, it's hard for me to say this. But I've been trying to move toward others in love and truth..."
In the end, the conversation made our relationship stronger.
4. Be Bold! Be Specific!
As I've tried to move toward people in love and truth, I've realized I can't expect them to read my mind. I need to be specific about what I want. And that means I need to know what I want!
This will entirely depend on the situation. But it's worth thinking about before reaching out to the other person.
Are you seeking forgiveness from someone? Then, when you reach out to them, apologize and ask for their forgiveness.
Or maybe you have been hurt by someone. Part of moving toward others in love and truth is being honest about your feelings (the truth part) while also not thinking the worst of them (the love part).
Imagine your cousin said some mean things about you at Uncle Pete's birthday party. You haven't talked since. Peacemaking might look like reaching out and saying, "Hey, your words at the barbecue really hurt me. But I love you, and I don't want to lose our relationship. I want to hear your perspective on this. Can we meet for coffee next week and talk through this?"
Peacemaking is difficult because it requires you to be vulnerable. And being specific about what you are seeking opens yourself up to be rejected.
That person may never forgive you.
Your cousin may say no to meeting for coffee.
It hurts.
But that's why the final thing to remember is so important...
5. Leave the Outcome up to God (& Keep a Soft Heart)
Earlier, I said that peacemakers don't try to control other people. They recognize the other person is on their own journey with God.
If you've done everything you can to make peace with someone, but it's not reciprocated, trust them to God. They may be fighting battles you don't know about. It may have nothing at all to do with you.
Above all, ask God to keep your heart soft for them. Resist the temptation to grow bitter. Because one day, you may get a phone call out of the blue. And like the prodigal son, what they'll need from you isn't a lecture but a welcome home party.
As we close, I have one more tip I thought of as I wrote this. (Okay, okay, I said these aren't tips... One more thing I've learned.)
Peacemaking is best done when you have a community supporting you. As you begin the process of making peace with someone, tell at least one fellow Jesus follower who you trust. They can pray for and support you through the process. They can be a source of wisdom and encouragement. They can remind you that God loves you no matter the outcome.
And there's peace in knowing that.
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The Power of Love (Or, What I've Been Up To...)
I hope your summer has been going great! In my last email, way back in May, I told you I'd be taking June off (kind of). Although I took a break from writing, it was a busy month! Today, I want to update you on what I've been up to...
Staycation
I turned 41 on June 9th (41 seems so anticlimactic after the big hubbub of 40!). I celebrated with breakfast at Cracker Barrel! Then we had a mini staycation for a few days. For those wondering—we didn't go to the waterpark because we had thunderstorms that week. But Diana and I went to the movies one day and saw Young Woman and the Sea. It was about the true story of Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim across the English Channel. We really enjoyed it! It was a pretty faithful retelling with a hopeful message. It's already out of theaters, but if you can find it streaming anywhere, I'd recommend it.
New York Trip
Toward the end of June, I went to New York with my mom and dad. The trip started out a bit rocky. We had a 7 a.m. flight, and when we woke up bright and early at 4 a.m. (though it wasn't bright!), we found out it was canceled due to bad weather. We managed to get on a flight later that afternoon. It was one of the bumpiest rides I've ever been on! Lots of turbulence. Even the flight attendants were required to stay seated for most of the flight. But on the plus side, I spent a lot of the time in prayer! ;)
We had a few reasons for going on the trip. The first was to attend a memorial for my Aunt Alice, who passed away back in March. She lived in California, but most of our family still lives in New York, so that's where we had the gathering.
Aunt Alice was also my godmother and a truly generous person. She loved books. I remember being a kid and receiving those Disney "I Can Read" books from her in the mail. When I got a little older, she'd send me Hardy Boys mysteries. She was one of the people who helped me develop a love for reading!
Although it was sad, I am glad we honored her memory by gathering and sharing stories. I also saw some cousins I hadn't seen in a while.
Me and my cousin, Rich.
While in New York, I also had an appointment with my podiatrist (AKA, foot doctor). It is good to see him every couple of years since he knows a lot about cerebral palsy. He said he saw an improvement in me, which I am grateful for. (This year, I've been focusing on doing exercises that improve my flexibility.) He took my foot braces and is currently refurbishing them. I should be getting them in the mail any day now. In the meantime, I am wearing an old backup pair. They are not perfect, but they'll do. :)
And since we were in the city, I couldn't help but see a couple of musicals! I saw Merrily We Roll Along and Back to the Future: The Musical. I might write about Merrily in a future newsletter. There is a lot I can say about its themes and how it relates to God.
Back to the Future is a fun show, especially if you are a fan of the movie (and it's my favorite movie!). It won't win any awards (in fact, it didn't win any Tony Awards!), but it will make you smile.
The most amazing thing to me was the technical aspects. They drove a DeLorean on stage. At the end of the show (spoiler alert!), it lifted off the ground and flew into the audience! (Okay, technically, it just hovered above the first couple of rows, but it was still pretty cool...) And, of course, they sang "The Power of Love." It was probably the best song in the show, even though they wrote a ton of new ones.
Me and my dad at Back to the Future.
It was a good trip, but I was grateful to return home to Diana and Emmett. I missed them a lot. I brought back some cars for Emmett (he's totally into cars now!), and he seemed to enjoy his souvenirs.
What's Next...
I have missed writing this newsletter! I still have two more parables to write about to finish the next devotional book. But you know what? I don't feel like jumping back into that just yet.
I have been pondering a few things lately, and God has been teaching me a lot. Writing has always helped me process my thoughts and emotions. And so, for the last few weeks of summer, my plan is to share some of these thoughts with you. It may be less polished and more random than usual, but it will be fun. It will be like one of those mystery bags where you never know what you're going to get! (But hopefully filled with slightly more valuable stuff. I once bought a mystery bag of 10 CDs at a music store. When I opened it, it was filled with the most obscure albums on the planet...)
To give you a little sneak peek... Next week's newsletter will be about the challenges of making peace with others. God has been teaching me a lot about this topic lately. I am grateful for the way he is so patient with us flawed, messy humans.
For now, I encourage you to start thinking of people who you long to make peace with... Or maybe people you don't want to make peace with, but they are always at the back of your mind, stealing your joy. It may seem impossible to make peace with them. But our job is to be as faithful as we can to what God calls us to do. We leave the impossible stuff up to him!
In the meantime, please let me know what you have been up to this summer. Have you and your family done any fun things? Hit 'reply' and tell me about it!
Last but not least, I'll be preaching a message about Jonah this upcoming Sunday at a local church. I would appreciate your prayers as I prepare for that this weekend.
Happy to be back (in time!).
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If you enjoyed this devotional and would like to support my writing, you can buy me a sweet tea to keep me caffeinated. It would be much appreciated!
"Well Done, Good And Faithful Servant"
Parables of the Talents, Pt. 5
This Week's Bible Reading: Matthew 25:14-30 (focus on verse 21)
Supporting Passage: Luke 23:32-43
Phew!
How are you feeling after exploring the parable of the Talents? I hope it has encouraged you to think about the gifts God has given you to use in his kingdom.
Before we close the book on this story, there is one more aspect I want to discuss. It's easy to come away from this parable and feel like you're not "doing enough" for God. I've struggled with this feeling a lot in my life. So today, I want to offer a wider perspective.
There are six words in this parable that often get misinterpreted. If we don't see them in the proper context, we may believe we have to earn our way into God's kingdom. The master speaks these words to the two servants who invested their talents:
"Well done, good and faithful servant." (Matthew 25:20, 23, ESV)
On the surface, these are beautiful words. The master is celebrating the servants who used their talents. They are words any servant would love to hear. But because of this, they can be misapplied when thinking about Jesus’ return.
I've heard Christians say, "I can't wait to stand before Jesus and hear him say those words to me: 'Well done, good and faithful servant.'" I've longed for this, too. It's not a bad desire to have. If we love Jesus, we want to please him! But I am hesitant to lift these words from a parable and transfer them to what Jesus will say on the day he meets us face to face.
I don't know what Jesus will say, but I do know one thing: Jesus is the true good and faithful servant, not me. Jesus is the one who used all his talents to bring God's kingdom to earth. On the night before his death, Jesus sweated in anguish as he prayed to God to let the cup of suffering pass him by. And yet, he cried out, "Not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42).
Jesus is the good and faithful servant who "endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). Now, he graciously invites me to join him in God's kingdom.
On the day I meet Jesus face to face, he doesn't have to say, "Well done, good and faithful servant" because he has already said, "It is finished" (John 19:30).
This is a mystery I'll never fully comprehend. What we do here on this earth matters. Actions have consequences. Sorrow over missed opportunities is real. And yet, nothing is wasted. Jesus redeems it all. We can't be good enough or faithful enough to earn a seat at the kingdom banquet. We can only say yes to the invitation. As a friend reminded me this week, "God loves us right where we are at. Buried talents and all."
No one knew this better than the criminal who was crucified beside Jesus. (I've written about him before, but his story is too good not to bring up again!) If anyone knew about burying talents, it was this guy. He lived a life of crime that eventually caught up to him. The Roman authorities sentenced him to be executed in the most inhumane possible.
As he's hanging on a cross, he looks over at Jesus, who is also dying a shameful death. He knows he doesn't deserve it, but he makes a bold request:
"Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." (Luke 23:42, NLT)
Jesus doesn't ask to see the balance sheets of this man's life. He doesn't say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." But he doesn't cast the criminal into darkness, either. Instead, he says this:
"I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43, NLT)
Jesus could only say these beautiful words because of what he was doing on the cross at that very moment.
It was good news for the criminal, and it is good news for us.
So, as we end, let's ask the question we ask of every parable...
What does the parable of the Talents teach us about how to live out God's kingdom in a messy, broken world?
At the start of exploring this parable, I said I didn't want to write about it. But I'm glad I did. It has reminded me that we don't have to be afraid to dig into the difficult passages of the Bible. Here's what I have learned:
A talent is any opportunity God gives us to extend his kingdom to this broken world. These talents may be more "ordinary" than we'd imagine.
Each day, we have the choice to either use our talents or bury them. What we do in the here and now matters in God's kingdom.
And, in God's kingdom, Jesus guides us as we use our talents. He celebrates when we become more of who God created us to be. And he enters into the darkness to redeem all the talents we've buried.
Jesus is the true good and faithful servant who doesn't want anyone left out.
Questions to Ponder:
Do you ever feel like you are not "doing enough" for God? How can you remind yourself that Jesus is the true good and faithful servant in those times?
What we do matters, yet we can do nothing to earn our way into God's kingdom. What does it look like to live a life that embraces this mystery?
Why do you think the criminal on the cross reached out to Jesus in the final moments of his life?
What did the parable of the Talents teach you about how to live out God's kingdom in a messy, broken world?
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If you enjoyed this devotional and would like to support my writing, you can buy me a sweet tea to keep me caffeinated. It would be much appreciated!
Why So Harsh?
Parables of the Talents, Pt. 4
This Week's Bible Reading: Matthew 25:14-30 (focus on verses 19-30)
Over the past few weeks, we've explored Jesus' parable of the Talents. In the story, a man entrusts three of his servants with talents before embarking on a journey. Two of these servants invest what they have and earn more. But the third servant buries his talent in the ground to keep it safe.
When the man returns home, the servants must explain what they've been up to. This is where things get interesting (and maybe a little frightening!). Let's unpack it together and see what we find.
The man learns that the first two servants have doubled their investment. He gives the same response to each:
His master said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master." (Matthew 25:21, 23, ESV)
The master rewards the servants with more responsibilities. But there's something else they receive—something even better than that. They are invited to share in their master's joy!
The master wants to celebrate each servant for using the talents he gave them. His joy doesn’t come from earning a profit. It comes from seeing people become who he knows they are capable of becoming.
This is a beautiful picture, and it reflects Jesus' heart for us. Jesus doesn't hover over us, waiting for us to make a mistake so he can pounce. Instead, he guides us to become more of the person God created us to be. Every time we say yes to using our talents—however imperfectly—Jesus celebrates with us.
But what if we don't view Jesus this way? What if we see him as a brutal taskmaster who is never pleased with anything we do? This is how the third servant viewed his master. When his time comes to give an account, this is what he says:
He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, "Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours." (Matthew 25:24–25, ESV)
The servant calls the master a "hard man" (also translated as "harsh man"). Is this reality, or is it just the servant's perspective? Many commentators point out that the master's actions have been generous up until now. But because the servant perceived the master as harsh, he lived in fear and buried his talent.
And now, we've come to the most challenging part of this parable: the ending.
But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' (Matthew 25:26–30, ESV)
It's hard to deny that in these final words to the servant, the master does appear harsh. So what are we to make of this? I'd say three things.
First, as I said a few weeks ago, Jesus told parables to shake his audience into new ways of thinking. If this story were an Aesop fable, the moral would be, "Be productive or go to hell." But parables are not fables, and Jesus is getting at something deeper. Because we know God is good, we can sit with him in the tension of this story. It's worth taking time to reflect on the ending and invite God to help us understand it.
Second, the master's harsh words emphasize the urgency of this parable. It's a stark reminder that what we do here and now matters. Each day, God gives us opportunities to extend his goodness to the world. If we choose not to participate, it doesn't mean we are destined for hell. But it does mean we miss out on becoming a bit more of who God created us to be.
When Jesus says the servant was sent "into the outer darkness," where "there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth," he is using images that convey a feeling of regret and sorrow. I know there have been times in my life—even this week!—where I've missed opportunities to use my talents for God's kingdom. I can never get those moments back, and there is a real sense of loss. But the good news is it's not the end of my story. Jesus always offers us another chance to move toward him.
That brings us to the final point: In Jesus' parable, the master is a one-dimensional character. He represents Jesus, but he is not Jesus. As we said at the start of this parable, Jesus is the one who entered the darkness for us. He is the suffering servant who gave his life freely. And, as we'll see next week, he is faithful even when we are not.
Questions to Ponder:
Take a few minutes to reread the parable of the Talents. Invite God to sit with you and reveal anything he would like.
Have you ever viewed Jesus the way the third servant viewed the master? (i.e., as a "harsh man.") How would things change if you saw Jesus as someone who celebrates when you use your talents for God's kingdom?
Have you ever felt sorrow over a missed opportunity to use your talents? How can you move forward, knowing that Jesus offers you new opportunities each day?
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Waiting Around For Heaven
Parables of the Talents, Pt. 3
This Week's Bible Reading: Matthew 25:14-30 (focus on verse 18)
Supporting Passage: Matthew 25:13-16
Last week, we considered how we can use our ordinary talents for God's kingdom. When we invest these talents, we are like the first two servants in Jesus' parable. Today, I want to explore what might prevent us from doing this.
Jesus says the third servant "went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money" (Matthew 25:18, ESV). This might seem like a silly thing to do. Only pirates would bury their gold, right? But in the ancient world, hiding money in the ground was a common way to protect it.
If the servant's job were to keep the money safe, he would have gotten an A+ from the master! But the master had bigger goals in mind. He wanted the servant to do something with what he'd been given.
As Christians, one of the sweetest promises we have is that we'll experience heaven someday. But it is also one of the biggest obstacles we face when it comes to using our talents. This may sound strange, but sometimes, heaven can become a convenient excuse for us not to take action. How often do we say phrases like, "This world is not my home" or "I'm just passing through"?
I understand the heart behind these phrases and have uttered them, too. The heartache of this world is too much to bear sometimes. Between the pain we see on a global scale and our own personal struggles, life can feel hopeless. We can't help but anticipate the day when "[God] will wipe every tear from [our] eyes" (Revelation 21:4). And it is right to look forward to our future hope. But as we do, we can't forget about using our talents in the present.
The third servant made the mistake of safeguarding his talent instead of investing it. It's easy for us to make this same error. If we don't have a bigger vision of God's kingdom, we risk reducing the gospel message to "Jesus will be back soon. Until then, just stay out of trouble." This is a surefire recipe to turn ourselves inward. We withdraw from the world to stay clean. Our focus becomes obeying a list of rules. We bury our talents and wait to go to heaven someday.
But Jesus wants us to shine our light! In the sermon on the mount, he says these beautiful words:
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14–16, NIV)
A light hidden under a bowl isn't much use to anyone. Sure, maybe the bowl will keep the light safe. But it will also prevent the light from doing what it was created to do. When we shine the light, we point people to God's kingdom.
When I think about people who used their talents for God's kingdom, I am reminded of Father Bob. I grew up attending Catholic mass, and Father Bob was the lead pastor of our parish. He was also one of the first people to teach me about the deep love of God.
After mass, everyone went on the church patio to enjoy coffee and donuts. As an 8-year-old, this was my favorite part of going to church. As soon as mass ended, my sister and I ran outside to dig into the donut boxes! But we also loved saying hello to Father Bob. He would greet us with a warm smile and hug.
At the time, I was still in speech therapy. My speech was difficult to understand if you didn't know me well. I'm sure there were times when I rambled on, and Father Bob had no idea what I was saying. But he listened with patience and ended every conversation with, "God loves you, Mike!"
A few weeks ago, my mom sent me a news story about Father Bob. I was shocked to learn he and his sister Sally were tragically killed in a shooting at their home. Father Bob knew the man who shot him. He was going through a rough patch, and Father Bob was trying to help him through it. By this time, Father Bob was retired. But he was still using his talent of compassion to point others to God.
You can look at this story and think, "What a waste! If that's what using your talent gets you, why not bury it instead? It's safer." And it's true—Father Bob and his sister weren't supposed to die this way. It's another piece of evidence that we live in a broken world. But I don't think Father Bob would see it as a waste.
A few months before he died, Father Bob celebrated his 50th anniversary as a priest. This is what he said:
I've had a glorious ride. I'm proud to serve and do wonderful things for wonderful people. I've spent 50 years doing absolutely incredible things, and I am thankful to God for it.
Father Bob didn't wait around for heaven. He didn't bury his talent. He didn't hide his light.
He leaned into a messy, broken world and showed it a glimmer of God's kingdom.
I pray that by the grace of God, I can do the same.
Questions to Ponder:
Why is it sometimes tempting to want to withdraw from the world and "wait around for heaven?" How can you look forward to heaven while remaining focused on bringing God's kingdom to others in the present?
What similarities do you see between the parable of the Talents and Jesus' words in Matthew 5:13–16?
Who in your life shines their light instead of hiding it? What can you learn from them?
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Ordinary Talents
Parables of the Talents, Pt. 2
This Week's Bible Reading: Matthew 25:14-30 (focus on verses 14-18)
At first glance, we may think Jesus is using the parable of the Talents to teach us a lesson in economics. But, as with several of his parables, Jesus uses the topic of money to talk indirectly about something else. In this case, it's about the responsibilities that come with being part of God's kingdom.
In the story, the man gives each of his servants a different number of talents. When I imagine a talent, I picture something like a shiny coin. (Okay, I'll be honest—I picture one of those delicious chocolate gold coins!) But a talent was more like a big block of gold or silver weighing about 60 pounds.
Why did the servants get a different number of talents? The man gave "to each according to his ability" (v. 15). This might seem unfair, but I find comfort in it. I am only responsible for the things God has given me. I won't be judged for what I do with somebody else's talents.
And the third servant wasn't given chump change, either! A talent was worth about 20 years of a day laborer's wage.
For fun, I looked up what the average day laborer makes in my home state of Florida. It is about $13 an hour (we rank dead last in nationwide day laborer salaries if you're curious...). Based on a 40-hour work week, one talent would be the modern equivalent of $540,800. (And this would be at the low end of the spectrum.) Imagine if someone handed you a slab of gold worth that much!
Any way you look at it, the master trusted all three servants with an enormous amount of money. And while the first two servants used what they were given to earn more, the third servant buried his talent in the ground.
But what does a talent represent for us? And what does it look like to use them wisely?
In our language, a talent is not a monetary unit but "a special natural ability or aptitude." Because of this definition, it's easy to assume a talent is a special ability God gave us to use for his kingdom. This is partly true, but we miss something if we only think of it this way.
I believe God gives us all unique abilities. But so often, we have a narrow view of what a talent is. We think of the "big ones," like preaching an amazing sermon or composing a beautiful hymn on a piano (a talent I wish I had!). When we don't have an obvious ability that wows the world, it's easy to wonder if we are serving God in a significant way.
But the kingdom of God is built on small acts. A talent is any opportunity we have to extend God's kingdom to a broken world. Yes, it might be playing a grand piano to a crowd of thousands. But most of the time, it is simpler than that. Dare I say, it is more ordinary than that.
On most mornings, I'm awakened by my three-year-old son calling "Mommy!" As I open my bleary eyes, I have two choices. I can pretend I didn't hear it and let Diana go get him (he did, after all, call for her!). Or I can get up and give her a few more moments of precious sleep. This is a small act indeed, but it is one way to love my wife.
When I hear that voice cry out at 6 a.m., it’s like God dropped a talent in my lap. Will I do something with this talent or will I bury it in the ground? (Honest assessment: I'm about 50/50 on this one...)
We face hundreds of small moments like this every day. They may not be as exciting as the "big talents" that put us in the spotlight. But the ordinary talents matter to God just as much.
When you spend an hour talking to a lonely friend over coffee, you are investing in God's kingdom. And it matters.
When you stock shelves in the back corner of a food bank, you are investing in God's kingdom. And it matters.
When you take a pause out of your busy day to pray for the person who popped into your mind, you are investing in God's kingdom. And it matters.
When you encourage your pastor with a kind word, you're investing in God's kingdom. And it matters. (They may appear confident, but I promise you, they have their insecurities, too.)
And if you have a talent that the world deems extraordinary, invest that, too! We need musicians, artists, speakers, and leaders. But using those talents doesn't exempt us from using our ordinary talents as well. The megachurch pastor who gave an inspiring sermon still has to go home and decide how he will treat his family.
As I said earlier, all three servants were given an abundance of resources to use. But if we're not careful, we can become envious of other people's talents. This is something I struggle with as a writer. It's easy to look at another person with a bigger audience and say, "If only I had their platform, then I could do something big for God."
How do we avoid this comparison trap? By focusing on the talents we were entrusted with. God doesn't need me to do something "big" for him. He wants me to be faithful with each opportunity he gives me. This means waking up every morning and saying, "Thank you, God, for the gift of today. Please show me how to use what you've given me to extend your beautiful kingdom to others.”
And most of the time, this is done through simple, ordinary acts of love and self-sacrifice.
Questions to Ponder:
How would you define a "talent" in the context of God's kingdom?
Have you ever wished you had different (perhaps more significant, as the world defines it) talents? How can you stay focused on the talents God has entrusted you with?
What opportunities has God given you this week to extend his kingdom to a broken world?
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If you enjoyed this devotional and would like to support my writing, you can buy me a sweet tea to keep me caffeinated. It would be much appreciated!