“But you were always a good man of business, Jacob,' faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself.
Business!' cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. "Mankind was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The deals of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
“But you were always a good man of business, Jacob,' faltered Scrooge, who now began to apply this to himself.
Business!' cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. "Mankind was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The deals of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
Business!' cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. "Mankind was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The deals of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
LEVITICUS 14
11For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.(17:11)
MATTHEW 27:1-31
19While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”
20But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
21“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.
“Barabbas,” they answered.
22“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.
They all answered, “Crucify him!”
23“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
24When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”
25All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”
JOURNAL
Pilate knew and so did his wife...they knew perfection and innocence was being destroyed. They knew that fear and hatred and jealousy was driving this train. Pilate symbolically rid himself of it by "washing his hands".
Obviously this did not rid Pilot of blame...he allowed it...it was under his watch and he did nothing. How often has this been my response...do nothing when I see injustice and wrong and hatred destroying good? Reality is that it happens everyday. It is so easy in our society to turn a blind eye and justify callous indifference. If someone is suffering and struggling...then its none of my business. Reality is that it is always my business...
Last year while watching my son play baseball, it hit me that there are 3 simple rules to live by...
- Be a great teammate
- Win the moment
- Have Fun
Being a great teammate is what we are here to do...in every area of our lives we are in some way part of a team (family, work, community, country...the Kingdom of God). To be a great teammate means that I contribute to the good of the team. It means that it's not all about me but rather what I can do to better the group.
Winning the moment is all about giving my very best right here, right now. It means I don't let shame of the past or fear of the future affect this moment. It means I fully invest and give the best of myself to do my job and play my role as good as I can do it. Jesus himself says that we are "not to worry over tomorrow, for today has enough trouble of it's own". It also means that I am aware of what is going on around me...that I keep things in perspective and always work to do my best in the moment I am given. No moment is to be wasted or squandered.
Finally, having fun seems trivial and unnecessary and really maybe even a bit irreverent... but the longer I live the more I realize that passion, joy and laughter are really what comprise the "fun" of life. Jesus' life is filled with moments that fully indicate the importance of laughter and joy. The water to wine at the wedding feast, eating and celebrating with sinners and prostitutes, scorning those who kept children from him. People were drawn to him and I daresay it wasn't because he was frowning and full of angst. I know that in some of my darkest moments...the thing that really broke the despair was a well timed humorous observation, joke etc. Also what good is work if you cannot find joy and passion...it feels pointless without it.
So while simple on the surface I think these 3 highlight the message of the gospel and the life that God calls us to live.
Pilate knew and so did his wife...they knew perfection and innocence was being destroyed. They knew that fear and hatred and jealousy was driving this train. Pilate symbolically rid himself of it by "washing his hands".
Obviously this did not rid Pilot of blame...he allowed it...it was under his watch and he did nothing. How often has this been my response...do nothing when I see injustice and wrong and hatred destroying good? Reality is that it happens everyday. It is so easy in our society to turn a blind eye and justify callous indifference. If someone is suffering and struggling...then its none of my business. Reality is that it is always my business...
Last year while watching my son play baseball, it hit me that there are 3 simple rules to live by...
- Be a great teammate
- Win the moment
- Have Fun
Being a great teammate is what we are here to do...in every area of our lives we are in some way part of a team (family, work, community, country...the Kingdom of God). To be a great teammate means that I contribute to the good of the team. It means that it's not all about me but rather what I can do to better the group.
Winning the moment is all about giving my very best right here, right now. It means I don't let shame of the past or fear of the future affect this moment. It means I fully invest and give the best of myself to do my job and play my role as good as I can do it. Jesus himself says that we are "not to worry over tomorrow, for today has enough trouble of it's own". It also means that I am aware of what is going on around me...that I keep things in perspective and always work to do my best in the moment I am given. No moment is to be wasted or squandered.
Finally, having fun seems trivial and unnecessary and really maybe even a bit irreverent... but the longer I live the more I realize that passion, joy and laughter are really what comprise the "fun" of life. Jesus' life is filled with moments that fully indicate the importance of laughter and joy. The water to wine at the wedding feast, eating and celebrating with sinners and prostitutes, scorning those who kept children from him. People were drawn to him and I daresay it wasn't because he was frowning and full of angst. I know that in some of my darkest moments...the thing that really broke the despair was a well timed humorous observation, joke etc. Also what good is work if you cannot find joy and passion...it feels pointless without it.
So while simple on the surface I think these 3 highlight the message of the gospel and the life that God calls us to live.
31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
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