I remember reading a story of a tour guide in Israel. He told his tourists that in the Middle East shepherds lead their sheep, instead of following them like they do in the English countryside.
When the tourists got to the countryside, they noticed a man driving a flock of sheep. The guide asked the man, "I have always been told that in the East sheep are lead not driven."
The man driving the sheep said, "You are right, but I'm not a shepherd. I'm the butcher."
There is a big difference between the interests of a shepherd and a butcher. Jesus is shepherd who has our best interests in mind.
Lord Jesus, thank you for having my best interests in your heart. Help me to follow you more closely. Amen.
Ron Newhouse
And when the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never fades away.
The Readers' Digest had a story of a little girl a few years ago who was eating an apple in the back seat of the car. "Mommy," said the little girl, "why is my apple turning brown?" Her mother explained, "Because after you ate the skin off, the meat of the apple came in contact with the air that caused it to oxidize, thus changing its molecular structure and turning the apple into a different color."
The girl pondered for a moment and then said, "Mommy, what are you talking about."
It is sometimes a challenge to communicate to a young child. If you can appreciate that challenge, then you can appreciate the challenge of the first Christians who had to communicate to others the image of Jesus Christ.
It may not be easy to share a meaningful image of who Christ is in our world today, but we are nonetheless called to help others experience our savior Jesus Christ. When we do, we will give away the greatest gift anyone can receive.
Dear God, help me to effectively share your Son to someone who really needs him today. Amen.
Ron Newhouse
So that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.
Max DePree is chairman and chief executive officer of Herman Miller, Inc., the furniture maker which was named one of Fortune's ten best managed and most innovative companies. In his book, LEADERSHIP IS AN ART, DePree writes about his ninety-six year old father who was the founder of the company. Many years ago, when his father was still a young manager at the factory, a millwright died. The millwright was a key person who oversaw the operation of the factory. The entire activity of the operation depended on him. DePree's father was unsure of what to do when the millwright died, but decided he should spend some time with the family. There were a few moments of awkward conversation as his father tried to find the right words to say.
The widow asked if it would be all right if she read aloud some poetry. Naturally his father agreed. When the widow returned she began reading selective pieces of beautiful poetry. When she finished Max's father commented on how beautiful the poetry was and asked who wrote it. The widow replied that her husband, the millwright was the poet.
"It is...sixty years since the millwright died," DePree writes, "and my father and many of us at Herman Miller continue to wonder: Was he a poet who did a millwright's work, or was he a millwright who wrote poetry?"
Do we allow the poetry of God's love to shine through us?
Dear God, may I not just go through the motions of my daily routine, but may I let the poetry of your being glisten through me. Amen.
Ron Newhouse
"For 'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we too are his offspring.'"
Each of the workers in our scripture reading today received a different number of talents--one five, another two, and the third one. Jesus does not pretend in this story that all of us or the workers are alike. Everyone has different talents or abilities.
I remember a rookie police office who during an examination was asked what strategy he would use to disperse a threatening crowd. The officer wrote, "I would take up a collection." We don't all have the same abilities or talents. But when we collect all of our talents and put them together, we will fulfill the needs of our church and community.
There is a story of a little boy who was listening in on a conversation between his mother and grandmother. The young mother said to the boy's grandmother, "You're not old, Mom, you're only sixty-five." The boy, quite impressed, said, "Grandma, you've reached the speed limit!"
Are we pushing the limits of our gifts and talents?
God of all things, help me to push the limits in using my talents for your good. Amen.
Ron Newhouse
To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. (Matthew 25:15 NRSV Bible)
Once there was a wealthy landowner, or "master" as he is called, who was about to go away on a long trip. Since he was going away for such a long time he decided to put his loyal staff in charge of everything he owned. Before he left he presented one of the servants with the unbelievable sum of five talents. To another servant he gave two talents and to the third servant he gave one talent. The servants weren't given any instructions on what to do with the talents or when exactly the landowner would return.
A talent was a tremendous sum of money. It represented the earnings of twenty or more years. The servant who was given five talents held in his possession lifetime earnings of five people. The servant who was given two talents had the earnings of two people. Even the servant who was given only one talent had an enormous sum of money.
Immediately after the master left on his trip the first two servants went to work. The one with the five talents and the one with two talents soon had doubled the money of their master. The third servant who was given one talent, however, "went off at once and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money." At an unexpected time the master returned and called in his three servants to give an account of how each used the talents entrusted to him.
What kind of account will we give to our master on how we have used our talents?
Dear Jesus, forgive me for not using my talents wisely. Help me to give freely of what you have given to me. Amen.
Ron Newhouse
A man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. (Matthew 25:14-15 NRSV Bible)
Annie Dillard was in the ninth grade. Like most people her age she was suspicious of the values and traditions of her parents. Her parents had been taking her to church ever since she could remember. Annie wasn't too sure she really wanted to be in church, but she went to church nonetheless because it was important to her parents. On a typical Sunday morning she was sitting in her usual place, the first row of the balcony in a large stone carved church in Pittsburgh. She enjoyed the balcony because she could watch the people below, the women in their fancy dresses, and the men in their stiff shirts and neck ties.
In Annie's opinion the people had gathered to remind God how hard they had worked and how few pleasures they took for themselves since the flood. The people were always looking around for an entrance to another life or at least an exit from this one.
Annie Dillard was at that age where she was quite sure of herself. She thought she knew better than anyone. On that Sunday she realized it was Communion Sunday. Annie always did her best to avoid Communion. To be honest the whole thing seemed absurd to her. Communion was something people did that had no real meaning. Annie wondered what Christ must have thought of the whole charade. She watched as the silver trays were passed out, with the cubes of bread and the Welch's grape juice. Then as she was looking around a strange feeling came over her. She saw her friends praying, even the boys she had seen at the ninth grade dance the night before. They were praying. It seemed almost unbelievable that they could take communion so seriously.
Then she watched as the adults prayed. Every head was bowed in the sanctuary; no one was moving. As she watched she was alerted to a new feeling, something she had never experienced before. "I didn't know what to make of this," she thought to herself. As the ushers made their way to the altar Annie Dillard realized that she knew most of the people present and, more importantly, she knew what they loved and she wasn't so sure it was God.
There in that old church she experienced the broken body and shed blood of our Lord and Savior. The people that she doubted came together as sinners in need of the bread and juice. That morning Annie Dillard realized why we celebrate communion. It's not because we deserve it. It's not because we have been so good. Rather we come to the Lord's table in need of something we cannot do for ourselves. We are offering ourselves to be part of the body of Christ--so that we can go out into the world that seems God-forsaken. Annie Dillard slowly realized this is not a God-forsaken world because God is present through His people.
Loving God, thank you for loving this broken soul. Amen.
Ron Newhouse
Take, eat; this is my body. (Matthew 26:26 NRSV Bible)
Several years ago, a friend and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. Arlene was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house.
The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely.
As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband.
He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment.
Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts. Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny.
He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up?
Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She causally mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value.
A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?
"Look at it." He said. "Read what it says."
She read the words "United States of America."
"No, not that; read further."
"One cent?"
"No, keep reading ."
"In God we Trust?"
"Yes,"
"And?"
"And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!
Dear God, in you I trust. Amen.
Ron Newhouse
Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God. (1 Peter 1.21 NRSV Bible)
