Category: Bible (Page 295 of 419)

Years ago when I worked with students at Missouri State University, a pair of creative guys made a video illustrating Jesus’s parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Jesus told the parable to some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else.

They filmed their interpretation of the Pharisee’s prayer in the middle of a busy sidewalk on campus. With students steaming in all directions, one of the guys stood on a platform, raised his hands in a “look at how great I am” pose and appealed to heaven. I thought he was hilarious, but only a few stopped to watch—a guy acting weird and another guy filming it raises few eyebrows on campus.

For the tax collector, they filmed in a quiet, out-of-the-way place. The amateur video (shot with a camcorder) turned out better than expected, and I still remember it as I consider the parable. They caught the essence of the teaching.

The humble man, the tax collector, went home justified before God. Not the prideful Pharisee, despite his strict adherence to all the religious rules. Jesus emphasized this point to his audience: For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

I relate to the Pharisee more than the tax collector, so these words prick at my ego. But you and I also live in an unprecedented era of self-promotion launched and sustained by the endless assault of social media. Everyone tweets confident of their own righteousness, or takes to social media in the same mindset.

Jesus pushes us to stop looking at our screens and start looking at our hearts. How rarely I beat my breast with downcast eyes and cry, God, have mercy on me, a sinner. But this is the path to humility, and only those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Luke 18 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Timon Studler

Sometimes Jesus did things in bunches. In one instance he walked up on a group of 10 lepers who respectfully kept their distance while yelling, Jesus, Master, have pity on us!

Jesus sent them off to the priests, and the lepers were cleansed. I wonder if part of this miracle involved the priests watching lepers heal before their eyes, knowing Jesus aimed them their direction? Was Jesus giving these priests another opportunity to realize who he was?

Regardless, one of the now healthy lepers returned to Jesus. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. But only one. Jesus asked, Where are the other nine? (Some say this is the first mention of baseball in the Bible, but I’m not so sure).

Only the Samaritan returned, a man from a race scorned up by the Jews. Like the Samaritan woman at the well, this man recognized Jesus as Messiah and returned to give praise.

The incident reminds me again that Jesus heals everyone, people from every tribe, tongue and nation, and every race, color and creed. None of us stand too dirty or too far off or too sick to cry—Jesus, Master, have pity!

To such a cry from the heart Jesus responds, no matter where you’re from or what disease you carry.

Luke 17 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Rosie Kerr

I don’t love money—but I do love stuff!

So commented my friend when we sat with a group and discussed these challenging words of Jesus:

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

I don’t love money in and of itself, like Scrooge McDuck literally swimming in his wealth, but I do keep warm places in my heart. Like my friend, I love stuff, and money buys stuff. I enjoy experiences, and money allows for more of those and further afield.

I fancy the security money brings, even as I tell myself that only the Lord ultimately brings security. I watch money purchase pleasures and houses and even friends for a time. For sure I need to buy stuff only money can buy, and so I need to use money, just not enter into a loving relationship with what’s in my wallet.

Insightful into this conversation is the response of the Pharisees to Jesus. The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.

With hearts fully given over to the pursuit, the accumulation, and the trappings of wealth, the Pharisees rejected any idea of divided loyalties. These men remained blind to their treatment of others as they increased revenue for themselves.

A good check on my heart involves my response to these words of Jesus. When I see them do I pause and wonder, how am I doing with my affections toward money? Or do I skip past? If I ignore Jesus, or pass over without a hitch in my spirit, then I have a problem. Perhaps I’m choosing the wrong master.

And that choice fails as a long-term investment strategy.

Luke 16 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Thousands of years ago, on the first of April,* a weary band arrived in the camp of the Israelites after what appeared a long and arduous journey. They asked for peace terms, and since they obviously lived so far away, Joshua granted them.

Turns out, these men represented the people of Gibeon, who lived in the direct path of the invasion of the land. The ruse—and Joshua’s failure to consult the Lord—saved all their lives.

After discovering their deception a few days later, Joshua summoned the leaders and asked, Why did you deceive us? Seems like the answer was pretty obvious, but Joshua asked anyway, and I’m glad he did. The answer uncovered their thoughts.

Your servants were clearly told how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants…so we feared for our lives…we are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.

The Gibeonites heard of the Lord and his promise to Moses. They didn’t fully understand, but they knew they stood in the way. Humbling themselves, they put on old clothes, grabbed some moldy cheese and hoped for the best.

Fear led to their salvation. Like Rahab in Jericho, they sought deliverance and the Lord granted it. In light of this, it’s surprising to see all the nations surrounding them resist the Lord so violently.

There’s no record of the Gibeonites ever causing Israel to stumble, or living in any other way than as peaceful servants. Eventually they seemed to have been fully assimilated. The Lord worked a great deal of good through a clever trick and a foolish mistake.

It’s nice to know He does the same for us.

Joshua 9 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Gio Mikava

*I have no idea if this meeting occurred on April 1. I’m totally pulling the date out of thin air—April Fools!