• parented.
  • ate.
  • created.
  • learned.
  • gave thanks.
  • About Me
  • Home

bible

Mark 10 – All Your Questions About Eternal Life Answered

Posted by Carolyn on October 12, 2015 1 Comment

This week’s Gospel reading at church was a challenging one.  But, if you read it and pay attention, you will understand the meaning of life.  In it, a man asks Jesus what he can do to have eternal life.  Jesus mentions all the normal things that make us decent human beings, but then goes on to tell him to sell all his possessions, give the money to the poor, and to follow him.  He then tells his disciples that “t is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”  This concerns the disciples (and the modern reader) because that makes it seem like nobody can be saved.  Jesus replies, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”

This passage made me think about a lot of things.  The first is the obvious idea that of all the things Jesus tells the rich man to do, the most important is to follow him.  I imagine that if the man gave away all his things, but didn’t follow Jesus, he probably missed the point.  On the other hand, I imagine that if the man didn’t give away all his possessions, but did follow Jesus, he would have been okay.

I’m not one for a literal biblical reading.  I find more power in the messages, the allegory, the ideas.

When I read this passage, I know that I am not being asked to give away all my possessions, I am being asked to do good, be good, and follow the right path.  He is not making a blanket statement about living a life of poverty, this isn’t one of the commandments. As our priest said in his sermon following this passage, “In fact, when Jesus makes universal injunctions, it tends to be the big picture, harder to quantify stuff, like love God, love your neighbor, proclaim the Gospel, follow him.”

Fr. Bingham’s sermon about this passage was quite wonderful.  As another parishioner said to him after the service, “That was one of the best stewardship sermons I’ve ever heard.”  I agree.  I have to admit that when this time of year rolls around, the time of year when the sermons focus on giving (as their annual stewardship campaign), I tend to space out, to not pay attention.  I know that we will give money, I understand the importance of this.  I feel like these sermons aren’t for me.

Yesterday, though, the sermon was for me.  Not only did it answer all my questions about eternal life (I’m being a bit facetious here), but it also connected to my desire to downsize, throw out things, and only keep things that spark joy.  This is totally connected to the Kon-Mari method- in fact, Bingham gave me a heads up that his sermon touched on Kon-Mari before church.

The bit of Bingham’s sermon about possessions really spoke to me.  If we were at a different kind of church, I would have been standing in the back, saying “Amen!”  and lifting my hands up:

In this passage, Jesus is trying to open their eyes to their unhealthy relationship to possessions and how that gets in the way of living their life in the kingdom of God. And I think if we are honest with ourselves, many of us here, maybe most of us, certainly myself, and certainly our culture at large, have an unhealthy relationship to our possessions. It is so unhealthy, that I wonder if we could even do what Jesus asks this man, not because it is too hard, but because we don’t own possessions anymore. They own us. We have imbued our possessions with a mystical quality, an almost salvific quality. And so Jesus says that if we want to truly find salvation, we have to correct our relationship to our possessions by rejecting the idea that our possessions bring us salvation, and realize that our salvation is in God alone. We have to reject the idea that our possessions bring us security, and realize that our true security is in God alone. We have to reject the idea that our possessions bring us life, and realize that our true life is in God alone.

Our unhealthy relationship with possessions. This is such a big deal in our culture right now.  I see it, I feel it.  It’s something we all deal with.  We all want the better phone, the bigger house, the fastest car.  That’s okay, but it really shouldn’t be our focus.

As I’ve written before, I’m new to the whole analyzing scripture (and sharing my thoughts publicly), but I just felt inspired to write about this.  What’s your take on this passage?

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
Posted in: gave thanks., learned., STRONG | Tagged: bible, christianity, episcopal, episcopalian, scripture

Proverbs 31: 10-31 For a Modern Woman

Posted by Carolyn on September 21, 2015 2 Comments

IMG_3079Yesterday in church, one of the readings hit really affected me.  Here is Proverbs 31: 10-31

A capable wife who can find?  She is far more precious than jewels.  The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.  She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.  She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.  She is like the ships of the merchant, she brings her food from far away.  She rises while it is still night and provides food for her household and tasks for her servant girls.  She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.  She girds herself with strength, and makes her arms strong.  She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.  Her lamp does not go out at night.  She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.  She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy.  She is not afraid for her household when it snows, for all her household are clothed in crimson.  She makes herself coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple.  Her husband is known in the city gates, taking his seat among the elders of the land.  She makes linen garments and sells them; she supplies the merchant with sashes.  Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.  She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.  She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Her children rise up and call her happy; her husband too, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”  Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.  Give her a share in the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the city gates.

While I was listening to this reading, I was struck by how much this reminded me of me – or at least the me that I strive to be.  The way that this woman works to make her family safe and cared for is something I strive to do.  Let’s break it down and think about what’s written here.  (Disclaimer: I am not a theologian, an expert, or anything else that gives me the right to interpret scripture.  I am, however, a woman, a wife, a mother, and a person who likes to interpret things and relate them to my own life.  And perhaps we all have the right to interpret scripture.)jenspictures 032

First let’s talk about this woman and her husband.  She builds him up, supports him, trusts him.  He can trust her, he loves her.  Jesse and I are coming up on the tenth anniversary of our wedding, and we’ve been a couple for over fourteen years.  We have had ups and downs, trials and celebrations.  I can honestly say that right now, in our marriage, we are happy.  This past year has been so hard, but I know that it has brought us closer together.  These days, we support each other, and we listen to each other.  We’re taking the time to connect and appreciate each other.  I am so proud of Jesse and how hard he works for our family, and I rejoice in the fact that he is making a name for himself in our city, he is known, and he is taking a seat with some of the elders.  I honestly couldn’t love him more, or be more proud or thankful.

This portion of Proverbs reminds me to strive to keep our relationship as it is right now.  To continue to listen to Jesse, to support him.  It reminds me that it takes work to be the kind of wife who surpasses all the rest.  But, it also reminds me that it is worth all that work.

Next, this passage talks about all the things this virtuous woman does to protect and care for her household.  I love to make clothing for my children.  I love to make clothing for myself.  I have visions of closets full of mama-made clothing for the girls.  I have dreams of owning my own sheep, shearing their wool (is that even what you’d say?), spinning it into yarn, and crafting beautiful sweaters and hats and mittens.  I know that this is just a dream that will never happen, and honestly, I’m not sure I would really want to do all that.  I can, however, buy fabric and sew clothes for our family.  I want to do this more, because I truly love doing it.  I’m still working on rising before my family in order to get things done… this is the week… my alarm is set…

This woman is also charitable, kind, and wise.  We should all try to be all of these things.  Coming into Autumn, I always start to look for ways to be more charitable.  Advent is coming, and then the Feast of Stephen.  I’ve written about how I want to focus on giving during the Christmas season, more than getting.  This year, I think the girls are old enough to start understanding this concept.  I plan on teaching this by example this year, and seeing how well the girls catch on.  By doing this, I expect that I will feel happy, and the hope is that my children will see this and know this, and rise up and call me happy.IMG_3389

She girds herself with strength, and makes her arms strong.  This line seems important to me, especially now, this year.  My One Little Word is STRONG and I feel like I haven’t done much with my Word this year.  My resolve is renewed by doing the Whole30.  This month has taught me how strong I am.  When it comes to food, I’ve never felt like I have much self restraint.  The month has taught me that I do.  I’ve also started getting my ‘wrist party‘ daily again, and it feels so great to not eat the ‘bread of idleness.’  I’ve been moving more, eating better, and have been more motivated to create and write.  This, to me, is strength and virtue.

So, it all comes together, doesn’t it?  This past month, I have felt more active and inspired.  This past month, our marriage has been stronger and happier.  This past month, I have been creating and happy.  I see that these are all related, and that one couldn’t happen without the other.

I am not trying to say that I am like this woman of virtue.  I am not trying to make myself look amazing.  I’m just trying to share my reactions.  I also know that there are other ways to be a virtuous woman.  Working full time to provide for their families, I have friends who are also virtuous wives and mothers and women. They show their strength and love to their families in ways that are just as valuable and important as all of this.  They support their husbands and their children call them happy.

Things work in mysterious ways, and this reading from Proverbs coming into my life, on this particular Sunday was just one of those things.

IMG_2847

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
Posted in: gave thanks., STRONG, writing | Tagged: bible, children, christianity, family, mothering, Parenting, proverbs, scripture, strong, whole30
If God said, ‘Rumi pay homage to everything that has helped you enter my arms,’ there would not be one experience of my life, not one thought, not one feeling, nor any act, I would not bow to. -Rumi

Recent Posts

  • SEPTEMBER 2019: Currently
  • Dear Harriet, Age 6
  • OCTOBER 2018: CURRENTLY
  • Pumpkin Beer Fest, 2018
  • SEPTEMBER 2018: CURRENTLY

Archives

Categories

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • WordPress.org

Copyright © 2021 and then they....

Theme by ThemeHall.

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.