March 10, 2022 – “Stuck In Our Ways”

 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others. ²⁴ You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel! ²⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. ²⁶ You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may become clean. ²⁷ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. ²⁸ So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. ²⁹ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous…” Matthew 23:23-29

In my efforts to try to come up with topics for devotions that not only are interesting to read, but might challenge us in our daily conversations, I am going to take the month of December to focus on this phrase “OK, BOOMER”, and perhaps find some talking points that might make us all stop and pause – before shouting back “You Millennials, get off my lawn.”

As I said in a previous devotion, the phrase “Boomer” has become a catchall phrase for someone who was not necessarily born into the “baby boomer” generation – they just have to be seen as representing the characteristics of someone born to that generation – like they are generally “out of touch”. In the 50’s and 60’s, many college students and teenagers believed their parents were “square” – were too “old fashioned” – too “stuck in their ways.” Timothy Leary famously told the children of that age never to trust anyone over the age of 30. In the 1990s and 2000s, those same people, the boomers we are talking about, were taking a lot of flights, driving a lot of miles, and looking at progress as the end all to many of their activities. What the current generation sees as the result of these activities is the decline of the health of the planet — climate change warnings that they believe are being denied by the members of the boomer-era. What the current generation wants boomers to hear the most is they believe the leaders of today need both the courage to change yet the informed judgment to pick up on warning signs that change is necessary. To ensure we don’t remain “out of touch”, we need to continue to look toward caring for our resources, and a clear plan that takes into consideration the effects of our actions. In other words, we all are evolving, and so should our attitudes and concerns.  

This was the warning Jesus had for the Pharisees and the Scribes. He called them “hypocrites” – people who said one thing but did the opposite. He believed they were people who cared more about how they looked then whether their actions honored their reputations. In other words, the Pharisees and the Scribes were out of touch with a true faith – their actions betrayed their words. As each new generation is born, the previous one needs to try to see the world through their eyes. The more we keep our “resistant to change perspectacles” on, the greater the chasm will be with the generations to come.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, it is so easy to get stuck – stuck in our faith, in our actions, in our decisions. Help us to stay open to your love, your teachings, and to see how both can lead us into the new every day. Amen.

Pastor Dave

March 9, 2022 – “Leave the Past Behind”

“Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” John 8:1-11

So we have been talking about the phrase “OK, Boomer”, and digging deeper into the reasons for why people from different generations do not always agree with one another. At first we were looking at why people resist change – and one of the reasons we were examining revolved around trust. Trust in necessary in all relationships – our trust in G-d – our trust in each other. And, so we are examining different aspects of trust. So we are on reasons five and six you can follow to help you choose to trust again after a painful experience.

Fifth and Sixth Tip: Don’t Continue To Label Yourself The Victim – and Leave the Past Behind You: It is really easy to feel bad for yourself after being hurt – after being accused by others for something you may or may not have done. It is ok to feel bad about yourselves but continuing to wallow in your sorrow and guilt will not help you get over the pain. Yes, there are always people who will seek to hurt you and break your trust, but that’s all on them – not you. This is why we seek forgiveness – so we can let go and not continue to be the victim – because the victim mentality can pervade all areas of your life. It can rob you of your self-confidence and self-worth. When you allow people to rob you of your self-confidence, you give the other person power over you.

The woman caught in adultery was forgiven by Jesus – and Jesus would not allow her to be victimized. In fact his words have real power: “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.”

Jesus gives us our identity – not others – not their words, their actions, or their accusations. When we are living in Christ, then Christ is in us, and we are children of G-d. Once there is no one left to accuse the woman, Jesus asks her: “Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I.” Jesus did not condemn her, and he tells her to move forward and live a new life. Jesus always left the people he encountered feeling different and better about themselves. When we lose trust in others and in ourselves, we can always turn to Jesus – who loves us beyond all measure – and forgives us all our sins.

Let us pray,

Lord Christ, you have the words of eternal life. You love us beyond all measure. Help us to forgive the past, forget the past, and live into new life in you. Amen.

Pastor Dave