Loved

S - "I have loved you, just as my Father has loved me. So remain in my love for you." John 15 TS

O - Jesus provides us the life and words description of his Father’s love. It is unconditional, active and unceasing. It is the only type of relationship he offers or desires. The exact way Jesus is loved by his Father is how we are loved. 

A - These almost unbelievable words of Jesus are not being offered to substitute or replace the experiential reality of this love. He did not speak them to give the hundreds of millions who would follow him in the centuries to come a concept to accept and hold on to. This love, underscored and described by these words, is offered to the world (now 7.7 billion) as a relational, personal, ongoing dynamic. It is a love to be known not just known about; and like all loving relationships requires the wills of both parties. Relentlessly and inexhaustibly he asks us all to accept and remain in this love.  I admit that we do not control this reality but we do get to choose to participate. 

P - Lord who loves the world,

Thank you for giving yourself to us in the only terms which accurately describe your desire and our experience. You love us the way you are loved. Thank you for allowing, wanting and insisting that we experience your love. With you I want to love the way I am being loved. 

Refreshed and amazed by your love,

Steve

Bad Stewardship Remembered

S - "A woman came in with a bottle of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus’ head. But when his followers saw this, they became angry and complained, “Why such a waste? We could have sold this perfume for a lot of money and given it to the poor.” Jesus knew what they were thinking, and he said, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. You will always have the poor with you, but you won’t always have me. She has poured perfume on my body to prepare it for burial. You may be sure that wherever the good news is told all over the world, people will remember what she has done. And they will tell others." Matthew 26 TS

O - It wasn't the bankers who objected to this obvious waste but the followers. Their measure of assessment? The efficient use of money. Here, something beautiful, prophetically significant, relationally purposeful and unequivocally affirmed by Jesus is judged as a wasteful failure. Jesus' warning to the world remains in force … no one can serve God and money; even money for the poor. What "sound stewardship" identified as bad Jesus calls beautiful in the most personal way.   

A - The Kingdom of God is not primarily efficient … it can't be because it is a kingdom of love (God is love) and love is not primarily efficient. The world, secular and religious, thinks that the marker for the best use of money is making more money.  Jesus completely disagrees.  He instructs the followers very specifically on the purpose and faithful use of money. "I tell you to use wicked wealth to make friends for yourselves. Then when it is gone, you will be welcomed into an eternal home. … If you cannot be trusted with this wicked wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? … You cannot be the slave of two masters. You will love one and hate the other or be more loyal to one than to the other. You cannot serve God and money." Luke 16 At the end of it all, Jesus won't ask me how much money I ended up with but how many friends - BEAUTIFUL!

P - God to whom everything and everyone belongs,

Thank you for sending Jesus to clarify your person and purposes -- to make crystal clear your thinking, activities and desires.  I welcome this change of thinking about money's purpose and measure.  I admit that I cannot serve it and you - ever!  I choose you back.  

Looking to live (and give) beautifully,

Steve