Devotion - Monday, February 6

I have been reading Rob Bell's Love Wins. I recommend it to you. But I do understand why it was so upsetting to so many. He reveals the differences between what the Bible says about "hell" and "being saved" and what we so often hear on the airways or read on bumper stickers.

Coupled with reading his book, I continue to read scripture. Thus, I get a double dose of what it is that God asks of us - and two opportunities to realize that the slogans made popular are not always the whole story.

This morning I was reading from Hebrews, chapter 13. Verse 16 ended up being the one verse I kept returning to during my meditation time. It reads, "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God."

We are often reminded to "do good." Doing good is lifted by many as the hallmark of a the Christian life. "Sharing what we have," well, that can be a different matter. We instruct children to share. We will share a slice of our pizza. But Hebrews speaks of "sharing" as a "sacrifice." Do we share to the point of it being a sacrifice?

By what measure will we speak of persons as followers of Jesus? What will we identify as markers of a "Christian life"? Does attendance at worship count? How about depth of religious conviction? Surely there is to be some way of considering the deeds one does? We cannot "buy" our way into heaven, but scripture would suggest how generous we are in "sharing" is to be considered, too.

It is one of the painful ironies of Church life that the congregations with the lowest (yes the lowest) median income are the congregations with the most generous record of giving. The more money we amass the less likely we are to make sacrificial gifts.

This one verse in Hebrews 13 isn't the whole of the New Testament message. But it is a part of the message. Sometimes, it is the verses of scripture which are less often memorized which need to be reviewed and re-considered. Is this one of them? For you?