Mark 9:30-50; Last Place

Yesterday I read Scott Bessenecker's How To Inherit the Earth. Great book. Challenging book. As I read through these verses, they say the same thing as his book, i.e., somehow along the way we have allowed corporate America to invade the church. We don't think like Jesus but rather we think like the apostles on the road. We still do not recognize true servants and pursue last place.

When I was in college the book that drove us all to achieve was The Pursuit of Excellence. It was classic 80s literature for forming yuppies. We all came away desiring to be the best at everything . . . except at being last. Whatever happened to forming ourselves by the literature of the first century which calls for just that?

I have to admit that when I read this section on being salted, I really wish Peter had pulled one of his verbal blunders that would have spurred Jesus on to a longer explanation. Yet what I can walk away with is simply this -- causing innocent people to sin is bad. Ignoring innocent people while we pursue "excellence" is bad. The ultimate reward for both is really bad. Being touched (salted) by Jesus is good. So we should be content with being touched by Jesus and learn to be at peace with the position (or lack of position) in life that results from that touch.

So maybe we didn't need Peter to ask questions after all. The hard part is not understanding; what's hard is contentment as opposed to pursuit.

Philippians 4:10-23; Content

I wonder what impact it would have on the US economy if every Christian learned to be content? Our advertising industry is designed to make us discontent by believing we need more. It soon becomes the air we breath and we think that something new makes us feel better. We actually learn to be discontent in all circumstances. Therefore there is no difference in how Christians and unChristians spend money.

As soon as we buy a coke, we are asked if we are dissatisfied and would rather super size it. As soon as we buy a phone, we are told the upgrade will come out soon. We are taught dissatisfaction. This text calls us to satisfaction; it raises the question of do I really trust God or not?

My closet and my garage, therefore, are a testimony to trust. There is a bumper-sticker that reads, "The one with the most toys wins." Not true.

Proverbs 30:8, ". . . give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread."