Seeds For Thinking

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Scripture: “ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galations 3:28, NKJV)

After learning the numbers, and how to count with them, we learn about “equals.” 1+2=3; 3+4=7, and so on. It is plain to see that the digits on either side of that equal sign may signify equity, but they are obviously not identical. Each number is distinct in its own right, however balanced they may be in the equation.
I have been thinking about how that plays out in the social, as well as the mathematical world. We are reminded in many ways how you and I share equality - created equal, have equal rights, equal opportunities, and all that. My point is, equal does not mean identical. We are not indistinguishable, one from the other, or exactly the same, uniform, and interchangeable.
Where this matters most, it seems to me, is how God looks upon His children.
“ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galations 3:28, NKJV) There is no favoritism on account of birth, beauty, or blood. There is no truth, as some claim, that certain people are the favorites of heaven, in virtue of their birth or their rank in life, or that they have special facilities for salvation.
Paul affirms, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” Individuals on one side of that “equals” sign, and one Spirit, one body on the other. (1 Corinthians 12:13) It is the same God that works all in all. God so loved the world - every individual - that everyone who believes will be part of that one Body, one Spirit; “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit with.” (1 Corinthians 12:7)
Consider: “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.” (John 1:6-8) John had a unique role; he stood out as an individual, as described by Mark (1:1-8) but made no claims as to his relationship to the Light. When asked about his identity, John replied, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said.” (1:23)
Later, after Jesus began His ministry, John again responded to questions about his role in the kingdom of God; saying, “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that has the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:27-30)
John inquired from prison as to whether Jesus was the Coming One. Jesus praised John highly, but added, “ . . . But he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than (John.)” (See Matthew 11:2-15) He who is least, even I? How can that be? Individuals on one side of that “equals” sign, and one Spirit, one body on the other.
As summed up by “The Preacher” of Ecclesiastes, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” Ecc. 12:13-14)
Psalm 9:8 states, “He shall judge the world in righteousness, and He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.”
God will balance the equation, bringing into the “one body, one Spirit” even the least of those who believe in Him. (John 3:16)

Seeds for Thinking (©) 1996 - 2010 by Leland Hubbell

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: ” . . . at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Collect the weeds first and bind them into bundles to be burned.’”
Matthew 13:30, NRSV

Many of the types of animals mentioned in the Biblical writings are classified as being “herbivores;” that is, they eat plants. People who keep herds of sheep, cattle and goats are on a constant search for adequate pastures for their livestock. Unfortunately, the most desirable forage grasses and legumes do not grow the entire year ‘round in many climates where livestock are raised.
The discovery that some grasses and legumes could be cut at the lush of their season, dried in the sun, and preserved for an indefinite period revolutionized the husbandry of livestock. The dried plants, or hay, could be fed when the field plants were dormant.
Unfortunately, the same field conditions that promote the growth of desirable grasses and legumes also appeal to noxious weeds, thistles and briars. They could be detected and discarded during the cutting when the harvesting was done by the centuries-old method of manual labor, using a scythe or sickle.
Machinery replaced hand labor in the 19th century in mechanized countries. Everything growing in the field is cut and harvested together, and usually compacted into bales, which are stored until needed for the livestock.
The day the bale is opened for feeding becomes judgment day. The quality of the hay is readily apparent. Further, any weeds that were swept up during the harvesting are now exposed. It is not uncommon to find trash as well - cups and soft drink containers, plastic bags, and papers that have blown into the field.
It reminds me of another judgment day, and another Judge, only this time we will be the ‘bale.’
Everything that is in the ‘field’ at the time of harvest (death) is swept up, gathered together, and brought before the Judge - everything! The good and the bad, including the noxious weeds, briars, and trash (we call them sins) - everything!
Too late now; no going back, the harvest time is over.
There is a different possible scenario, however. Remember that old-fashioned method where the workers separated the good stuff from the bad? See Matthew 13: 24-30.
We need to examine our fields (lives) and determine what is growing there. Find the bad stuff (sin,) dig it out, cut it down. Umm - more commonly known as repentance. Ask The Lord for forgiveness, and stop ‘growing’ it.
You do not know at what day or hour the Master Harvester will come.
Keep your fields clean and unspotted from the world. (James 1:27) Be vigilant. Be always ready. Remember - at the Judgment Day, all lives will be opened to the scrutiny of the Judge, and everything will be plainly shown -
Everything!
March 18, 2007

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* Covetousness
* Scripture: Jesus said, “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:21, NKJV

God was with Joseph. Even Pharaoh was convinced that there was no one else in the kingdom of Egypt more discerning and wise as Joseph, “a man in whom is the Spirit of God.” (Genesis 41:38)
Joseph was made ruler over all of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. By his command, granaries were built throughout the land, and filled with much grain, “as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable.” (Ge. 41:49)
Jesus told a parable of a man who did the very same thing; he built additional storage facilities to hold the grain his fields yielded in abundance. (Luke 12:16-18)
At this point, the stories diverge, however. Although both Joseph and the man in the parable stockpiled sufficient grain to last many years, God’s providence was intrinsic to the plans of Joseph and Pharaoh. God provided the dreams for Pharaoh, and the ability to interpret them in the person of Joseph. The storehouses in Egypt were for the benefit of the people, including Joseph’s own family, with whom he was reunited. When the time of famine came to all the land, the granaries were opened, that the people might have bread.
The “Rich Fool,” for as such is the parable known, had no plans for sharing with anyone, saying, “Soul . . . eat, drink, and be merry.”
Did Robert Southey have this parable in mind when he wrote “God’s Judgment On A Wicked Bishop?” I do not know, but there are certainly parallels. Both hoard their grain, to the exclusion of others, and both forfeit their soul because of it.
Bishop Hatto, like the Rich Fool, had a plentiful store of grain; his granaries were ‘furnished well’ with grain from the preceding year’s harvest. Not so the starving poor, for the weather had been so bad that there had been no harvest, and they were starving
In response to their clamoring, Bishop Hatto set a day, and bade them to come to his great barn, that “they should have food for the winter there.”
When the barn was full of women and children, and young and old, Bishop Hatto locked the doors, set fire to the barn and burned them all. His rationale?

“And the country is greatly obliged to me
For ridding it, in these times forlorn,
of rats that only consume the corn.”

This rather gruesome tale concludes with an army of rats devouring not only all of the grain he so covetously refused to share, but the Bishop himself! The closing line is this:
“For they were sent to do judgment on him.”

Covetousness has its reward, declared Jesus, in that he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God, loses both the store of ‘things,’ and the soul as well.
February 20, 2005

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

* Foolish
* Scripture: Paul said, “We are fools for Christ’s sake . . . 1 Corinthians 4:10a, NKJV

I have had a lifelong interest in, and appreciation for, the role of music in the church, and I have often written about music. Many people especially enjoy gospel music, songs that celebrate Jesus and extol the joys of the Christian life.
It is unlikely, however, that you have heard the following song, unless you dabble into strange song titles, nor will you likely find it in hymnals anytime soon. The opening lines go like this:

“I don’t care if it rains or freezes,
As long as I have my plastic Jesus
Stuck upon the dashboard of my car.”

And, yes, the song is Titled “Plastic Jesus;” you can find it with an internet search. Be prepared to be displeased with the rest of the lyrics, if you do. The words and intent are not exactly, shall we say, “complimentary” toward Christians.
Making fun of Christian beliefs and believers is not a recent phenomena, however, as various passages in the Bible illustrate. A search in a concordance or dictionary of biblical terms will show many uses of the words fool, foolish, or folly, many concerning foolish actions or choices, especially in Proverbs or Ecclesiastes, but let’s focus on the use as applied to believers by nonbelievers, representatives of “the world.” It is enlightening that the Greek word Paul used here, “moros,” also means stupid, and is given as the base for our word “moron” - definitely not usually taken as a compliment by most of us.
There are times, however, when we should accept the term gladly. Consider the times when you have been advised to take some illegal or immoral course of action, stealing or cheating, for example. Ever heard, “You are foolish if you don’t?”
And perhaps you could respond, “April fool is past, and you are the biggest fool at last.”
Yes, what may seem foolish to the those whose expectations greatly differ from the moral and godly minded, may in fact put them in peril. For example, Paul also wrote to the church at Corinth, “The cross is to them that perish, foolishness.” (1 Cor. 1:18)
Look at it like this; You are on a ship which begins to sink. Some people rush to the safe, and proceed to fill their pockets with heavy coins before jumping overboard, deriding the “fools” who elect to ignore the safe (pun intended) and go for the life jackets instead. At this point in the story the true fools are quickly separated from the wise and prudent.
Going one step further, when Paul made his defense before Festus and King Agrippa, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is making you mad.” In other words, “Paul, you are a maniac!” (Acts 26:24)
Such is the judgment of the world. So let them laugh, accept the term with grace. A time will come when God will determine who is foolish and who is not.
January 30, 2005

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Scripture: “Come, now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18, NIV

Deer are plentiful enough, and of sufficient size, that their presence is often noted in the woods and fields that surround our house. We also see marks of their hooves in the soft soil, and know that they come to drink at the pond. They also leave a compressed area in the grass in the pastures, where they bed down over night.
Those masked bandits, the raccoons, are often seen , but more frequently make their presence known by leaving footprints in the mud at the edges of ponds and streams. Rabbits and squirrels frequent the yard, often to the detriment of my attempts at growing things we both relish.
Birds of all sizes are also easily spotted, especially the numerous visitors to our bird feeders, the geese and blue heron that make the pond a port of call, and, of course, the hovering buzzards that look down from on high.
We know there must be many other birds and animals out there that we do not normally see. Some are evidenced by things the cats drag in. Others are heard, but not seen, like the call of the cock pheasant, or the howl of the coyote that puts our livestock guard dog on high alert. Sometimes the soaring notes of a hidden songster pulls at our heart strings, alluring, yet unseen.
What a different world we discover on those calm, cold wintery days when we step out into a world painted on a canvas of white! The rabbits and squirrels now mark their every step with their signature footprint. I can tell where the spooked rabbit shifts into high gear. The night-traveling dog, and even the deer, are easily noted. Birds do come to earth; we read their touch-downs and hop-abouts like a message written on a page of snow. But the little creatures, things that hide in the woodlot leaves and tufts of grass in the fields, leave tracks and trails in abundance. What we have speculated about, because the dog’s marvelous nose had indicated there must be something there, now makes evident that they do indeed exist. What has long been hidden is now plainly seen.
Sometimes I wish there were a way that I could make people’s thoughts and deeds so visible. I think of the day in the courtroom, when we, the jury, struggled to determine the guilt or innocence of the accused, knowing some who testified were not telling the truth. My, how the face of politics would be changed if motives could be seen, and discrepancies made evident for all.
Then, the sobering thought strikes deep. How would my own life change, if thoughts and deeds were put on such open display. Rare among us, I’m sure, would be the individual who would fear not for full disclosure of every moment of our lives. Something to strive for, of course, but difficult for the humanity that lies within us.
Yet, because I believe in the future judgment, and the accountability that comes with it, it behooves me to acknowledge my shortcomings, and call on the grace and mercies of God for the cleansing that will make this trammeled and much tracked earthly journey as clean as the new-fallen snow on the woodlot and field. The LORD has promised as much: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Therein lies our only hope for the mortal to become immortal, and for the perishable to become eternal.
January 18, 2004

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Scripture: Jesus said, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matthew 7:14, KJV
Which way to go? Which way to go?
We get all kinds of advice - Go THIS way! No that way is best. We are admonished to be either hot or cold. Taking the ‘middle of the road’ is bad, of course, or straddling the fence. We are to come all the way out, or stay all the way in. We encounter those who clamber for the world to choose THEIR WAY - whether high road or low, far left or right.
What would Jesus do? He advised to come, follow Him, and let the dead bury the dead. Lk. 9:60
In fact, some of the disciples complained that Jesus’ teaching were “hard” (John 6:60), saying, “Who can accept it.”
Is there a right path, straight, and aimed for the narrow gate, that does not veer to extremes? I will throw out some comments for you to think about.
Back in my youthful and more agile days I learned to walk the top of the board fence along our driveway. I even attempted to walk a tightrope (cable) with some success. It takes balance, concentration, and confidence gained from ‘walking the walk.’ If you go off to the right, left, or down you are no longer ‘walking the ‘line.’
Just ordinary walking is not easy at first. I’ve been observing my two youngest grandchildren as they master the technique, at that stage rightly called “Toddlers.” Again, in the fullness of years, many people have problems maintaining their balance. Assuming there is strength enough in their legs, they rely on a cane or walker. Balance, maintaining an equilibrium, is important if we wish to stand and walk. Especially if we wish to go in a particular direction.
There is another kind of balance, more of mind and spirit than physical. This is in regard to our attitudes, our psyche, or relationship to the world about us. Conscience. Judgment. Responsibility. Belonging. Fitting in. Accepting others. As Jesus put it, “Loving your neighbor as yourself.” Doing things in moderation.
If you seek to hit a target, in whatever sport, you’ve got to aim directly for it; basket, goal posts, golf cup, bowling pins, archery - whatever.
We need to truly evaluate the claims some ‘blind’ leaders and cults advocate. We should not follow blindly every voice that chants, “Go this way - the ‘target’ is over there.“ Fix your eyes on Jesus, find that narrow path, and the strait gate, and go right down the middle toward it.
March 4, 2001