How much IS enough?


If you truly believe in the value of life, you care 
about all of the weakest and most vulnerable members of society. 
--Joni Earickson Tada


Jesus tells a story of a wealthy man who had such a good harvest, his barns weren’t big enough—so he tore them down and built bigger barns, only to then learn that he would die that night and never be able to enjoy his riches (Luke 12:13-31).

It never even occurred to this man that his workers might deserve a little something extra for their families, or that the beggars near the synagogue were going to bed hungry. He couldn’t see beyond his own selfish desires. How much is enough?

After the most recent mass shootings, I am left musing about the other meaning of that phrase. How much is enough?

How many more lives will be lost before meaningful legislation is passed by those whom we chose to represent our best interests and not those of private corporations?

How many excuses will we make that it’s not about guns, but about everything but guns? (I don’t want your guns. I don’t. But I don’t see the need for anyone outside a military installation to be in possession of assault weapons. Enough is enough.)

How long, O Lord, before our eyes are opened to the pain in your heart at our foibles and cavalier attitudes about the value of humanity—at every age and stage?

How much anguish, how much terror before we finally speak out as one, declaring in your voice: All are beloved children of God. All humans are created in God’s image. All creation is deserving of honor. Enough is enough. Lord, in Your mercy. . . .

Monday Start the week with an open mind. Try to learn something new today, even if it feels hard. Pray for a teachable spirit. Isaiah 1:11-17

Tuesday Listen to a voice you disagree with. Listen to learn more about what they believe. Pray for understanding. Psalm 50:1-8

Wednesday Today, pay attention to your soul. If you feel yourself getting angry or feeling afraid, pause. Pray until the feeling shifts. Genesis 15:1-6

Thursday Take a break. Get away. Sit outside. Listen to the sounds of nature in the city. 
Psalm 33:12-17

Friday Take action. Do you know who your senators and representatives are? Call, write or email them. Ask questions. Listen to their answers—but make your voice heard, as well. Psalm 33:18-22

Saturday As you pray today for yourself, ask God to show you where you are part of the problem, and how you might become part of the solution. Seek God’s peace. Hebrews 11:1

Sunday Light a candle today, in your church or in your home. Remember someone you love who is no longer with us. Rest. Luke 12:32-40

The ultimate value of life depends on awareness and the power of contemplation 
rather than upon mere survival. --Aristotle

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Spiritual dehydration

  Inside myself is a place where I live all alone, and that is where I renew my springs that never dry up. –Pearl S. Buck   The past two years (at least) have been exhausting, haven’t they? We had a pandemic that physically left us anxious and afraid. Our churches, where we go for nourishment, were closed or online longer than we wanted—and even now, we are careful. Politically, we have been divided against one another, and those wounds are still bleeding in many cases. We need to take care of ourselves. And it’s never been more difficult. What to do? How do I make time in our busy schedules—for me ? The simple answer: Whatever it takes. Remember when we would fly to a vacation destination? How the flight attendant would remind us that if the cabin loses pressure, the oxygen masks would drop down out of the ceiling? And that before we offer to help anyone else, we need to have our own masks in place ? Good advice for life in general. Today: Pause. Take inventory ...
Read more

What are you waiting for?

  The waiting is the hardest part. –Tom Petty   We spend a lot of time waiting. Waiting for the coffee to finish dripping. Waiting for the light to turn green. Waiting for the next available agent. It’s inevitable, really. We cannot always be first, and if we aren’t first, we’ll have to wait. But I think the more important thing is to ask yourself: How am I at waiting? Do I find myself getting anxious and fidgety? Am I worrying about things not going the way I really need them to go? Is my attitude rubbing off on people around me? The best way to wait is not to worry where we are in line, or gripe about wasted time. The best way to wait—is to be right there , in the moment of waiting. The disciples waited in fear; we wait in hope. Why not use this waiting time to pray? Welcome God’s presence into your heart. Ask God to bring you into the moment. Inquire what God would ask of you in this moment . Thank God for wisdom, patience, humor. . . . Take a d-e...
Read more

Don't be afraid.

Living is a great deal more than simply not dying. It is carrying out a mission, committing oneself to fashion some meaning that will attain eternity. –Leonardo Boff When asked, “What are you afraid of?” we offer a myriad of answers: snakes, spiders, flying in an airplane. But when pressed, many people, believers and non-believers alike, will admit that the one thing they fear most, at the core of their being, is death. Most of us enjoy having control over our lives, and frankly, we have very little control over, or way of knowing, how or when our earthly journey will end. And we have even fewer concrete answers about what will happen next. We have the profession of our faith and the occasional “crossing-over” story—but. No wonder death is near the top of that list. But sometimes, as I look around, it seems like people are less fearful about dying—and more afraid of living. Really cutting loose and enjoying our time together as human beings privileged to live in God’s am...
Read more