Today’s Readings: Psalm 104; Numbers 20:1-13; Matthew 5:27-37; Ephesians 6:18-24; Psalm 127
We live in a world where niceties are not only accepted but often encouraged. If we notice someone got a haircut, for instance, some of us have been trained to say, “Nice haircut!” – whether or not we think it really is. Or if we sit in on a presentation by someone, we have been trained to say, “Nice job!” – whether or not we think it really was. These niceties become the grease that moves the wheel on many of our social interactions. While they may help us get along with our fellow human beings, Jesus warns us about extending those niceties into our spiritual lives. In today’s Gospel reading, we hear Jesus saying: “You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, ‘I’ll pray for you,’ and never doing it, or saying, ‘God be with you,’ and not meaning it. You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true” (Matthew 5:34-36 from The Message). The blunt words remind us that our spiritual lives ought to be about something other than niceties; they ought to be about authenticity. These words challenge me to examine my own life and find those places where niceties have displaced authenticity. Perhaps you’ll join me in exploring this challenge. The self-examination will undoubtedly be difficult but the growth that will result should make it all worthwhile. Til next time…
We live in a world where niceties are not only accepted but often encouraged. If we notice someone got a haircut, for instance, some of us have been trained to say, “Nice haircut!” – whether or not we think it really is. Or if we sit in on a presentation by someone, we have been trained to say, “Nice job!” – whether or not we think it really was. These niceties become the grease that moves the wheel on many of our social interactions. While they may help us get along with our fellow human beings, Jesus warns us about extending those niceties into our spiritual lives. In today’s Gospel reading, we hear Jesus saying: “You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, ‘I’ll pray for you,’ and never doing it, or saying, ‘God be with you,’ and not meaning it. You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true” (Matthew 5:34-36 from The Message). The blunt words remind us that our spiritual lives ought to be about something other than niceties; they ought to be about authenticity. These words challenge me to examine my own life and find those places where niceties have displaced authenticity. Perhaps you’ll join me in exploring this challenge. The self-examination will undoubtedly be difficult but the growth that will result should make it all worthwhile. Til next time…
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