daily java

Daily Java:

We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. (1 Thessalonians 1:4)

People in churches get to thinking that because they go to church and do all of the religious stuff that they are something special. They are not.

They are something special because they are in Christ and it is God who chose them to be that special person, that special group. It really has nothing to do with them.

Now it is fine to be proud of being in Jesus and in his grace. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, Jeremiah 9:24 says:

But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!

It is good to be glad you are in Jesus. The problem comes when you get to thinking that Jesus ought to be happy you are in him, that you are somehow doing him a favor by being in his church.

In Luke 18:9-11, there were two men who went to pray. One was a Pharisee and one was a tax collector. These were two completely different kinds of people.

Pharisees were the conservative rulers of the Jewish group. They were usually very proud of their holiness and their heritage. When they prayed in public, they like to do it in a public place where people had to walk around them. Some even had a guy with a trumpet that would blow it when they started to pray so everybody would know. Kind of like the guy who yells out his prayer before his meal in a restaurant so everybody can hear how holy he is.

The tax collector (publican in the old King James Version) worked for the Roman government on a commission basis. The Romans were an occupying army that demanded strong taxes from the Jews. The tax collectors took as much money as they could and kept whatever was left over after giving the rest to the Romans. Most Jews hated tax collectors.

The Pharisee prayed about how great he was and what all he did. It was as if God should be proud of him. The tax collector recognized that he was no good and wouldn’t even lift his eyes to heaven.

When Jesus saw them, he said the tax collector was the one who really prayed to God. The other one, the Pharisee, just bragged out loud about what he had done. There was no prayer there.

When we come to God, we come as broken people who have screwed up our lives beyond any way to fix them. And we give them to God to fix. We can do nothing in and of ourselves. It is all God’s doing, whether you are a rich businessman or a broke guy in jail. We are all the same in God’s sight.

He chose us and gave us the ability to accept that choosing. When we do, we are his children and we are his people. And he loves us.

daily java

Daily Java:

Elihu continued speaking: “Let me go on, and I will show you the truth. For I have not stopped defending God. I will present profound arguments for the righteousness of my Creator. I am telling your nothing but the truth, for I am a man of great knowledge.” (Job 36:1-4)

There was a woman I knew who knew in her heart that she was the smartest person in any room. She told me that one day. And in her knowledge of her intellectual superiority, she expected two things;

1. that everyone else would eventually realize it and
2. they would all resent it.

I noticed, though, that when she spoke, she didn’t necessarily say anything particularly intelligent or scholarly. For the most part, she talked about herself and stuff she didn’t like.

She home schooled her children (of which she had 12) so that probably reinforced her feelings of superiority. She could tell her kids things and they really couldn’t contradict her. She was the final authority on everything at home and felt she should be elsewhere.

I thought she was silly and she turned out to be a bit more unstable than I thought after she did some things that hurt our family.

I have been reading the book of Job in my daily Bible reading. It is not a pleasant book to read, yet I understand why God included it in the canon. Or at least I think I do.

It is a book that shows two things:

1. things that happen to you are not always your fault. Sometimes they have no real reason. and
2. your friends can be ignorant and unaware idiots that think they have all the answers. They do not, no matter who hard they want to or how much they think they do.

Job’s three friends (?!) tried their best to convince Job that he had sinned before God and deserved what had happened to him. He tried his best to defend himself against their charges.

The fourth man was evidently a young man who sat also listening to the interchange between the three men and Job. The men didn’t do a good enough job, Elihu thought, so he was “forced” into defending God. Nobody else would, so he had to. Somebody has to stand up and tell the truth or God will be undefended.

Since I have already used the two things meme twice on this post, I will again. There are two things about trying to make sure God is defended:

1. God does not need defending. He can defend himself better than we ever could. And
2. The people “defending” God usually do not have the slightest idea of what they are talking.

Elihu is mad because the arguments the men have used to Job have gone “unanswered.” They were worthless and seemed to roll of Job like water of a duck’s back. He felt the arguments needed to be stronger, that by his giving stronger arguments, and more of them, by explaining further the cause of God would be advanced and Job would be made aware of his failure.

And it was up to him to make the necessary arguments. After all, it was obvious to all who had half a brain that he was the smartest person on the dung heap where Job was staying at present.

The funny thing about him is, nobody ever even comments on his diatribe when he is through. Nobody says a thing, either negatively or positively. Nobody says, Oh shut up, you little twerp. Nobody says, I don’t think so. Nobody says anything.

The smartest person in the room is roundly ignored and his arguments are shown to be worthless.

Just because you think you are the smartest person in the world, or simply because a small group of people think you are doesn’t really mean anything. Just because you have a badge or people elected you to an office, or you have a diploma or anything else doesn’t’ mean anything if what you say is goofy.

What Elihu said was worthless. All it was really was a rehash of what the other three had already said, just put in an obnoxious way.

He wasn't really as smart as he thought he was. Nobody ever is.

there is nothing like confusing the issue with facts

Job’s three friends refused to reply further to him because he kept insisting on his innocence. (Job 32:1)

There is nothing like confusing the issue with facts.

Job had insisted on his innocence. His three friends saw all of the misfortunes that came on him – his loss of health, his loss of wealth and standing and family – and they assumed, as many do, that “Somebody up there doesn’t like you.”

They assumed that since all these negative things had happened to Job, he had to have done something wrong. He had to have sinned.

They couldn’t necessarily put their fingers on what it was that he had done but, come on, something happened to make God mad.

The idea of suffering being a random thing rather than a specific punishment never occurred to them. And when it finally occurred to them, they rejected it because it just didn’t fit in with their theology.

His insistence n his innocence in the face of their own brilliant arguments made them mad.

But they knew better. They had been around, you know. They didn’t fall off a turnip truck yesterday. They could tell that something was wrong. And it had to be with Job.

That was the problem with the book of Job and with Job’s situation. Nothing that happened was the result of Job’s sin. Job had not sinned. That was the point. He was a righteous man who God was using as an object lesson to the devil.

If Job caused it at all, it was because he had been good enough to attract the attention of the devil.

But his friends had their own theology. It was simple. Sin and be punished. The syllogism goes like this: 1. God punishes those who have sinned by bringing bad things into their lives. 2. You have a lot of bad things in Job’s life. Therefore 3. Job had sinned and God was punishing him. It was simple. It was flawless. They really liked it and had worked a long time on it.

The only problem was: it was hogwash.

First, God doesn’t deal like that with us and second, the Bible makes it clear that Job was an exemplary man living an exemplary life. His misfortune was not his fault, except inasmuch he was good enough to attract the notice of the devil, as I said before.

But his friends were mad that he dismissed their great theological arguments out of hand.

Nothing makes people madder than having their ideas dismissed. After all, they worked hard on those ideas. Then when you find a hole in them, or decide yourself that they weren’t all that good, it makes them mad.

After all, these ideas are their little thought babies. And who are you to be calling their babies ugly or no good.

It is funny that people think that simply because they thought of something, you are supposed to accept it as the wisdom of the ages.

It rarely is. And we all have to get used to the fact that what we think is sometimes full of beans.

daily java

Daily Java:

I will answer you and all your friends, too. (Job 35:4)

Job was in distress, his family was gone, his possessions and his position in the community were all gone and he had a bunch of “friends” come to him to tell him what was wrong with his life. After everybody has spoken about all of the inadequacies of Job’s life and the reasons God is punishing him, then Elihu, the youngest, speaks up.

He is going to give Job and his friends that definitive answer, the ultimate response. After he is through, generations will marvel at his brilliance.

It is interesting that when Elihu finishes with his brilliant reply, God speaks. He and Job and all the others completely ignore Elihu and what he said.

I hate it when someone, man or woman, comes up with “the answer.” Everyone is supposed to listen to it, receive it and be glad to share in this person’s wisdom. It is a curious arrogance.

Sometimes it is good, sometimes not, but the bearer of the “great intellect” is always under the impression that he or she will answer you and all your friends, as Elihu was certain he would do.

I remember a woman, a couple of years back, who would do this. After she had solved all our problems for us, she stood one day telling me what a burden it was to always be the smartest person in the room. Needless to say, she turned out not to be.

On Facebook, there is always one who will interject a comment that is designed to answer the question and give the ultimate answer. If someone comes on with something after the great person has spoken, they are irritated that their answer wasn’t accepted as the final solution.

The problem is, however, only God has the final answers. Ours may be good – and every once in a while I come up with a good one – he still is the only one who can truly answer a question definitively.

And the problem is, sometimes he decides not to. In Job’s case, in spite of the blathering of these four men and Elihu’s assertion that he had the ultimate answer, God never told them what the answer was.

Sometimes there is no answer.

In Bible class one night, we were talking about something that was a tough theological question. Finally one man looked at me and said, okay, tell us the answer. I said, no, that is not my job. My job is to help you find he answers, not give you all the answers. He got irritated and ended up leaving.

But the reason I do not give the answers are primarily because of two things. First, sometimes I am wrong or do not know. I have known pastors who couldn’t stand to not know the answers and felt the need to say something, anything, just to reassert their knowledge and position. I am not like that.

And second, a pastor who tells everybody what all the answers are every time they feel the need, breeds lazy and ignorant people. They have never had to look for something themselves and begin to feel the Christian life is full of easy answers.

It isn’t. I wish it were, because there are some things that have plagued me for years and I would like to know why.

But in spite of having ultra-smart friends and acquaintances who are more than willing to answer me and all my friends, I still look for the answers.

And I probably will until I die.

daily java

Daily Java: 

While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.” (Luke 21:1-4 NLT)

A gift given from the heart, no matter how humble it may be, is far better than an expensive one given by obligation.

Jesus was watching the poker game they called the offering. The watchers sat in a kind of gallery so they could see the holy men giving their money.

One would bring up his money and offer it, “humbly” dropping it in the basket with as much panache as possible. He might give a little genuflection and offer up a prayer, then, with head humbly bowed, go back to his seat. His little entourage would ooh and aah appreciatively.

The next man would come and call that offering and raise it. He would go back to his seat and his entourage would ooh and aah appreciatively.

The third man, the fourth until it was all over, each calling the one’s offering before him and raising it. Then the first man would make the comment that he had not finished, that he had to come back to get the rest and it would begin again.

Each offerer was determined to be the most generous. However, in their generosity, each was giving what amounted to pocket change and they only gave it to be seen.

A widow came up quietly and dropped in two small coins, money that the others wouldn’t even bend over to pick up.

Jesus, as he watched, must have felt disgust. These men were using the offering as a means of gain. They wanted power, prestige, position – and the money they gave was to that end. God was incidental in the matter. And they didn’t give a flip about the poor the offering would go to. It was all show.

But when he saw the woman offering her money, her two small coins, he turned to his disciples and said that she had given more than all the rest, because she gave from her heart and gave all she had.

I would imagine that Jesus didn’t care if his voice was overheard. Those who had worked so hard to be noticed may have heard him. They didn’t feel ashamed, because this was a way of life. They probably felt disdain because obviously Jesus was too stupid to appreciate quality like his betters.

They may also have felt angry that he would dare to question them. Whatever they felt, it probably cast a little pall over their show.

But the point was made. The important men were giving pocket change without caring. The woman had given all she had and probably cared a lot. She gave out of love; they gave out of desire for prestige.

Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 did the same thing. Those in the early church were helping their own who had been hurt by the persecution that came on the Christians. They were giving things to the apostles to be sold to buy food.

And they were probably being thanked and noticed.

Ananias and Sapphira wanted to be noticed. But they didn’t want to part with everything. So they struck what they felt was a good compromise: they only gave part and said they gave all.

God didn’t require them to give a lot. It didn’t matter either way. They were under no obligation.

But what they wanted was to be noticed. So they lied.

And because of it, they died. They were used as a test case by God to show his church that this was not an opportunity for promotion, it was an opportunity for sharing.

It was a harsh lesson, but the result was: Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened (Acts 5:11).

There is nothing wrong with noticing people who do things. But if all you do it for is to be noticed, it is worthless.

daily java

Daily Java:

When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table! Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 14:7-11)

Ninth grade. I can still remember it. I took Mary Beckheusen, an eighth grade girl, to the church Christmas banquet. I even bought a black suit from Sears to wear because it was semi-formal. Mary wore a semi-formal dress in gold, I believe. We had jumbo shrimp in the Holiday Inn banquet room. This is how the rich people live, I thought at the time, going to banquets, being fancy.

When we walked in, I was clueless as to where to sit. I was after all, a ninth grader. So we picked a place and sat down.

Someone came up after a few minutes and told us we couldn’t sit there. That was the head table. So we moved. It was rather embarrassing.

I have never forgotten that. While it was not a major humiliation, I have still remembered it throughout the ensuing forty-five plus years. And I have to admit, I have never sat at the head table again unless someone asks me to.

For one thing, I recognize what a head table is now. I didn’t then.

But there is a point to all this. And Jesus makes it here. Don’t grab the best seats when you walk in.

There are some people who just seem to crave the attention of being at the front. They will take the most visible seats right off. And then they will get huffy when someone points out that those seats are reserved. How dare anyone have a chair better than mine.

I have gotten used to being in front, with people looking at me, listening to me, the sound of my voice amplified. That doesn’t bother me. But when I come to the point that I have to be there, that I can “serve” nowhere else, I have crossed over into arrogance.

If you are that great, others will tell you. If you deserve a high place, others will give it to you. If you need to sit up front, someone will tell you.

And if you don’t they will tell you that, too.