An Honourable Life

•September 17, 2012 • Leave a Comment

There are many jokes about what makes a good wife, for example.

My wife dresses to kill. She also cooks the same way. (Henny Youngman)

or

A good wife always forgives her husband when she’s wrong. (Milton Berle)

It has become quite unfashionable to even think of a “Good Wife”.  For perfectly proper reasons, like men and women are equal, and neither needs to be “the one” that holds the household together, each bring complementary roles, not necessarily dictated by gender.

So to some, this advice from Proverbs may seem twee, or outdated, but whether aimed at women or men, wives or husbands, it is excellent advice on how to live generally, and be respected.

Proverbs 31:10-31

In Praise of a Good Wife

10 A truly good wife
is the most precious treasure
a man can find!
11 Her husband depends on her,
and she never
lets him down.
12 She is good to him
every day of her life,
13     and with her own hands
she gladly makes clothes.

14 She is like a sailing ship
that brings food
from across the sea.
15 She gets up before daylight
to prepare food
for her family
and for her servants
16 She knows how to buy land
and how to plant a vineyard,
17     and she always works hard.
18 She knows when to buy or sell,
and she stays busy
until late at night.
19 She spins her own cloth,
20     and she helps the poor
and the needy.
21 Her family has warm clothing,
and so she doesn’t worry
when it snows.
22 She does her own sewing,
and everything she wears
is beautiful.

23 Her husband is a well-known
and respected leader
in the city.
24 She makes clothes to sell
to the shop owners.
25 She is strong and graceful,
as well as cheerful
about the future.
26 Her words are sensible,
and her advice
is thoughtful.
27 She takes good care
of her family
and is never lazy.
28 Her children praise her,
and with great pride
her husband says,
29 “There are many good women,
but you are the best!”

30 Charm can be deceiving,
and beauty fades away,
but a woman
who honours the Lord
deserves to be praised.
31 Show her respect—
praise her in public
for what she has done.

Caring for others; ensuring needs are met; being known for wise advice, someone it is safe to turn to to ask; being someone who honours the Lord – aren’t they qualities we should all aspire to?

Lord,

I pray

that I may be known

as someone who honours you,

who is trustworthy,

wise,

caring

and a provider.

However that fits into my life,

as a wife, mother, daughter;

as father, brother, son;

as sole-provider or joint carer;

as colleague, neighbour, friend

– may I live in ways that help others

– and honour you

Posted in bible, God, Lectionary, life, Religion
Tags: , , , ,

Big Trouble

•September 13, 2012 • Leave a Comment

This is re-blogged from Lent this year, when studying  Tom Wright’s Lent for Everyone – Mark

You know that feeling, when you are watching a situation from a certain distance.  You can see events unfolding – and you just know there is going to be trouble.  You can see personalities beginning to clash, that one is asking more of the other than they are willing to give, that aspirations are not the same. When reality kicks in, there may indeed be trouble ahead.

Jesus warns his disciples

There’s big trouble in store for the son of man (Mark 8:31 – Tom Wright)

Jesus Speaks about His Suffering and Death

31Jesus began telling his disciples what would happen to him. He said, “The nation’s leaders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law of Moses will make the Son of Man suffer terribly. He will be rejected and killed, but three days later he will rise to life.” 32Then Jesus explained clearly what he meant.

Peter took Jesus aside and told him to stop talking like that. 33But when Jesus turned and saw the disciples, he corrected Peter. He said to him, “Satan, get away from me! You are thinking like everyone else and not like God.”

34Jesus then told the crowd and the disciples to come closer, and he said:

If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me. 35If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me and for the good news, you will save it. 36What will you gain, if you own the whole world but destroy yourself? 37What could you give to get back your soul?

38Don’t be ashamed of me and my message among these unfaithful and sinful people! If you are, the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

The reality of the situation, of the new way that Jesus is bringing to the world, is that there will be those who won’t like it.  And when people don’t like something they try to ruin it.  When people see that things will change for them, and they don’t want it to; when they can see that they will be losing something by it; when they see it is going to cost them…

So when the reality of what Jesus is bringing kicks in, it will attract animosity, fear and rejection.  Jesus wants the disciples to be clear about what they are getting in to.  Peter doesn’t like the sound of this, he doesn’t want to hear it.  He tries to stop Jesus talking that way.

How are we when we hear the truths of what Jesus has to say?  When he tells us of the costs involved?  When we realise it is not all just plain sailing?  Do we want to stop him saying these things?  To out our fingers in our ears and la, la, la to ourselves?  Do we want Jesus’ ways to be our ways, rather than our ways his?

Jesus offers the best way to live.  But that does involve sacrifice. Jesus has to die to rescue a world gone wrong. There is a cross to carry (Tom Wright p 35).  Are we willing to believe him and go with him?  Are we willing to relinquish things that we think are good, for his ways that are better?  Are we ashamed of him and want to stop his words, or willing to give up what we have and take on board the new way?

There may be struggles ahead, we may not be popular – but whoever said life was going to be easy?  What Jesus does promise is that he has been there before, and he is with us where we go – for the journey we follow is his.

This is Tom Wright’s prayer for this passage (p 36);

Forgive us, gracious Lord,

where we have preferred human common sense

to the strange wisdom and power of your cross.

Give us strength

and clarity of understanding

to hear your call afresh

and to follow wherever you lead

Posted in bible, Jesus, Lectionary, Religion
Tags: , , , ,

But What do You Think?

•September 12, 2012 • Leave a Comment

This is re-blogged from Lent this year, when studying Tom Wright’s Lent for Everyone – Mark, this passage was covered

Before you make a decision on something, you may want to canvas the opinion of others.  Has anyone else tried this? Do you own one?  What do you think?  Would you recommend it?  Have you been there?  Would it work for me?

Mark 8:27-30

Who Is Jesus?

27Jesus and his disciples went to the villages near the town of Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “What do people say about me?”

28The disciples answered, “Some say you are John the Baptist or maybe Elijah. Others say you are one of the prophets.”

29Then Jesus asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

“You are the Messiah!” Peter replied.

30Jesus warned the disciples not to tell anyone about him.

And so we return to the “Who is He?” question.

But this time Jesus is asking about himself.  What are people saying about me?  What’s the word on the street?  The disciples give various answers about what people are saying about him, the understanding that is going around.

But them comes the crunch:

But who do you say I am?

Because that’s the really important question.  What other people think might be interesting, but what really matters is what each one of us thinks for ourselves.

What do I think about Jesus?  What does he mean to me?  What effect does he have on my life?

As we continue our faith journey, this has to be a question we need to be able to answer for ourselves.  The time for decision comes, when what others are thinking is of interest – but no real importance.  It is about us and God, where we stand, what we believe in, and what we are going to do about it.

Lord,

as I take time,

as I reflect on you,

I realise that the important question

is what I think about you,

and what I am going to do about it.

You are the Messiah,

the one who has come to do a new thing

– I pray that you will do it in me

 

Posted in bible, follow, Jesus, Lectionary, Religion
Tags: , , , ,

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »