Generous Giving

~~~ Tobit 2:9-14 ~~~ Psalm 112 ~~~ Mark 12:13-17 ~~~

 

The elders approach Jesus like a school of blood thirsty sharks.
 

At first they begin to flatter him...

Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion.
You do not regard a person’s status
but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.

 

Then they lock in, executing their real purpose in attracting his attention.

Is it lawful to pay taxes to Cesar?
(Matters concerning money...a hot topic, even in present times.)

 

They are too blind to see that there may be more

than one way to look at a dilemma. 

The answer to their question is not  'yes' or 'no' answer.

God is just in all matters,

even when it comes to paying your due taxes.

 

 

Tobit was a good man blinded by cataracts, we are told.

But Tobit is also blind to grasping the possibility

that his wife could be paid for her work with something other than money.

 

The owners were more generous than Tobit expected

in paying his wife for her sewing.

The owners were creative...they paid her what she expected to paid,

but they did not stop they gave her more.

They also gave her a goat...for food.

Nothing she said could convince her husband that

the goat was part of her compensation for her work.

 

He accuses her of stealing the goat, because he himself

would not have been so generous.

How we treat others says more about who we are than

 we might want to believe.

Is this personality trait our greatest hurdle in believing

 that God only wants

what is in our best interest?

He consistently gives so much more than we deserve.

 

The wife of Tobit was given more than was due

for the work she had completed.

The same is true for each of us;

we are given eternal salvation for living a life of love.

 

Is living a good life enough to receive entry into heaven?

We will have to wait and see.

 

Where charity and love prevail God is surely there.

Lord, Teach Us to Pray

~~~ Galatians 2: 1-2, 7-14 ~~~ Psalm 117 ~~~ Luke 11: 1-4 ~~~

 

 

The disciples witness Jesus in prayer and they want to learn.

One of the greatest compliments you can pay someone is to imitate them.

To emulate another is a way of showing love and respect.

 

Jesus taught them to pray as he was praying to his Father.

Jesus did not say to his disciples,

'This is my prayer to my Father.

You must make up your own version.'

 

Jesus freely shared with them his own personal words.

The very words that were recorded and continue to be passed down to us today.

 

He said to them, "When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name,
your Kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test."

 

We pray to the Father because it was the Father

who sent his only Son to be one of us.

Only the Father in heaven has a love so great.

 

Jesus knew he was sent into our world

to do the will of the Father.

Jesus knew that his actions were the result of the Father

acting through his person.

 

Jesus, even though God, begins with words of honor and praise.

The utmost respect of a Son for his Father....

'...hallowed be your name...'

 

 

It can be frightening to pray the Our Father

if you really think about the words you are saying.

 

It is not easy to say the words 'thy will be done';

sometimes we are not happy doing the will of God.

 

Sometimes we can or do not 'forgive those who trespass against us'.

 

This prayer given to us right out of scripture from Jesus himself,

is always calling us to be a better version of ourselves.

 

Truly praying the Lord's Prayer daily is equivalent to updating

your computer virus protection.

 

Everything has been given to us from the Father out of his

tremendous love for us.

 

God provides all that we need.

 

I invite you to take time today to slowly pray this awesome prayer.

Ask God for the gift of new insight to how these words

produce change in your heart.

 

"...Give us this day our daily bread..."

 

Lord in your mercy

"...forgive us our sins..."

 

So that through reciting your prayer;

 we may come to be a better and more holy person.