Matthew 18:18 - For whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose (destroy?) on earth will be loosed in heaven.
Coming on the heals of the discussion about how to deal with people who offend us, this verse points to the power the disciples (we) had/have to create heaven. Whoever we bind to ourselves or to the church will be bound to the church in heaven. Whatever we loosen from ourselves or the church will not be in heaven - loosed from heaven? I think it speaks to the importance of relationship again. It is important to give others every chance imaginable before we decide to loose them, excommunicate them. This power must be used with care and love.
Yet, when I think of this verse out of context, I often think about Jesus' binding up of wounds, loosening the chains of the prisoners, loosing people from demonic possession, binding up broken hearts. It is a reverse way of thinking about creating heaven. I am not sure if Jesus or his listeners would have understood this in this way. Yet, it is a beautiful way of thinking about this verse that lets go of the punishment/reward idea and instead focuses on people - their health, their problems, their relationship to God and to each other.
B
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Do Everything You Can
Matthew 18:17 - But if that one refuses to listen to them (witnesses), speak to the church; and if that one refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.
On the one hand, this verse makes it clear that we are to do everything we can to restore good relations and keep all members in communion. That is how important relationship is to God. Following the instructions of these verses, could lead to restorative justice. Everyone is satisfied and no one is kicked out of community. I know I underestimate the benefits of being in communion with those who have hurt me. I can see in this verse that God is calling me to reconcile my own relationships.
On the other hand, Jesus says let that one be to you as a Gentile or tax collector. This implies that they are to be shunned? (I should look into that!). Yet, Jesus himself treated Gentiles and tax collectors the same as he treated Jews. ... There is tension there about what exactly Jesus is saying. My mind springs to - keep your distance AND keep in contact, in communion with that person. They may come around and if you have not burned the bridge, they will be able to walk over back to you, and the church.
B
On the one hand, this verse makes it clear that we are to do everything we can to restore good relations and keep all members in communion. That is how important relationship is to God. Following the instructions of these verses, could lead to restorative justice. Everyone is satisfied and no one is kicked out of community. I know I underestimate the benefits of being in communion with those who have hurt me. I can see in this verse that God is calling me to reconcile my own relationships.
On the other hand, Jesus says let that one be to you as a Gentile or tax collector. This implies that they are to be shunned? (I should look into that!). Yet, Jesus himself treated Gentiles and tax collectors the same as he treated Jews. ... There is tension there about what exactly Jesus is saying. My mind springs to - keep your distance AND keep in contact, in communion with that person. They may come around and if you have not burned the bridge, they will be able to walk over back to you, and the church.
B
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Witnesses
Matthew 18:16 - And if they will not listen, take with you two or three witnesses, that every word may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.
This is how important relationships are to God. Do not give up on your friends, neighbors, enemies the first time they let you down. Talk with them, discuss with them and be prepared for them to talk with you as well. None of us are perfect and we all deserve the chances Jesus is suggesting here. Staying in the relationship is the important thing; no matter how troubled. This does not go for people whose lives are at stake - that should go without saying. Everyone needs to choose their level of engagement in that situation.
This is a revelation to me. I am one to write people off - not as not having worth but more as I do not need to be around them. I have not had the skills to stay in a relationship long-term. I'm learning them now! I am learning to stay engaged as much as possible but I still think of Rick, whom I did write off, and Eric, who couldn't hear. I sometimes wonder if I could have somehow saved these relationships. And, when I stop to think about it, there are many others, such as Mark. Clearly, I judge too harshly in an effort to provide self-protection. Now my self-protection skills are getting in the way of my having a healthy life and healthy relationships. Something to repent of in this Lenten season.
b
This is how important relationships are to God. Do not give up on your friends, neighbors, enemies the first time they let you down. Talk with them, discuss with them and be prepared for them to talk with you as well. None of us are perfect and we all deserve the chances Jesus is suggesting here. Staying in the relationship is the important thing; no matter how troubled. This does not go for people whose lives are at stake - that should go without saying. Everyone needs to choose their level of engagement in that situation.
This is a revelation to me. I am one to write people off - not as not having worth but more as I do not need to be around them. I have not had the skills to stay in a relationship long-term. I'm learning them now! I am learning to stay engaged as much as possible but I still think of Rick, whom I did write off, and Eric, who couldn't hear. I sometimes wonder if I could have somehow saved these relationships. And, when I stop to think about it, there are many others, such as Mark. Clearly, I judge too harshly in an effort to provide self-protection. Now my self-protection skills are getting in the way of my having a healthy life and healthy relationships. Something to repent of in this Lenten season.
b
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Relationships
Matthew 18:15 - If your brother or sister sins against you, go to them and tell them their fault between yourselves alone. If they listen to you, then you have gained your brother or your sister.
Relationships. Jesus' community is built on relationships: One with one, two with two, groups with groups, churches with churches, cities with cities, nations with nations. We can only grow slowly - taking each person at a time. If we cannot feed our relationships, they will die. That is the true work of the church community - to be in communion with those around us! Not just the sacrament, but also true respect and friendship. This is my word for the year and so far, I am not doing well. I've decided to start with friends and family then move on to more challenging scenarios. One step at a time.
b
Relationships. Jesus' community is built on relationships: One with one, two with two, groups with groups, churches with churches, cities with cities, nations with nations. We can only grow slowly - taking each person at a time. If we cannot feed our relationships, they will die. That is the true work of the church community - to be in communion with those around us! Not just the sacrament, but also true respect and friendship. This is my word for the year and so far, I am not doing well. I've decided to start with friends and family then move on to more challenging scenarios. One step at a time.
b
Monday, February 27, 2017
Little Ones
Matthew 18:14 - So, it is not the will of your father in heaven that even one of these little ones should perish.
And here we are reminded that Jesus is still holding a child in front of them. The arms and the feet and the eyes represent the many ways we hurt children, women, people of color, homeless people, immigrants. These people are just as necessary to the body of Christ as they are to our society! We need them or we will burn in the (metaphorical) fires of Gehenna.
The sheep represent them in a different way. God, our father rejoices over all her sheep. Every last one. Most especially when they have been found. When we remember to support them and fight for and with them for their rights to be treated as people. We are the sheep when we remember to turn away from pride and gluttony, from lust and jealousy, from envy and sloth. When we remember to turn to God who in turn, turns us toward his less fortunate sheep.
My prayer is that I will always be turning to God's less fortunate sheep through his love and mercy.
B
And here we are reminded that Jesus is still holding a child in front of them. The arms and the feet and the eyes represent the many ways we hurt children, women, people of color, homeless people, immigrants. These people are just as necessary to the body of Christ as they are to our society! We need them or we will burn in the (metaphorical) fires of Gehenna.
The sheep represent them in a different way. God, our father rejoices over all her sheep. Every last one. Most especially when they have been found. When we remember to support them and fight for and with them for their rights to be treated as people. We are the sheep when we remember to turn away from pride and gluttony, from lust and jealousy, from envy and sloth. When we remember to turn to God who in turn, turns us toward his less fortunate sheep.
My prayer is that I will always be turning to God's less fortunate sheep through his love and mercy.
B
Saturday, February 18, 2017
Searching
Matthew 18:13 - And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine who never went astray.
Several things strike me here. God is always searching for the lost, which is all of us at one time or another. Yet, God is also always rejoicing over those found. In a continual cycle of rejoicing, searching, rejoicing. God loves us so much that She is always searching for us - for we are all lost in some way. Searching, challenging, comforting, pushing, loving, feeding, guiding, and rejoicing in us and with us.
In this time, joy has become a necessity rather than a sometime event. We need to find joy to give us the energy to fight and resist.
B
Several things strike me here. God is always searching for the lost, which is all of us at one time or another. Yet, God is also always rejoicing over those found. In a continual cycle of rejoicing, searching, rejoicing. God loves us so much that She is always searching for us - for we are all lost in some way. Searching, challenging, comforting, pushing, loving, feeding, guiding, and rejoicing in us and with us.
In this time, joy has become a necessity rather than a sometime event. We need to find joy to give us the energy to fight and resist.
B
Monday, February 6, 2017
The Lost Sheep
Matthew 18:12 - What do you think? If a person has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does that person not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that was lost?
God will risk it all to save even one. That seems counter intuitive to me. Yet, this question shows how important sheep were to the shepherds and by analogy how important we are, or how important children are, the vulnerable ones of society to God. God wants us to risk losing the life, friends and family we have to search for those whom God loves and society has cast away. That is not an easy or insignificant thing to do. It takes God's gifts of courage and grace. Let us pray for those today.
B
God will risk it all to save even one. That seems counter intuitive to me. Yet, this question shows how important sheep were to the shepherds and by analogy how important we are, or how important children are, the vulnerable ones of society to God. God wants us to risk losing the life, friends and family we have to search for those whom God loves and society has cast away. That is not an easy or insignificant thing to do. It takes God's gifts of courage and grace. Let us pray for those today.
B
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