A "Me attitude" or a Beatitude?

Do you remember the story of Yertle The Turtle?  Yertle, the king of the pond, wants to build a throne in order to see farther and expand his kingdom and so he begins to stack his subjects on each other's backs.  Poor Mack at the bottom of the heap begins to complain, but Yertle only calls for more turtles to to be added to his throne.  I will not give away the ending but I will tell you it is Yertle's "me attitude" which brings about a fall.  In this week's Gospel lesson, Jesus gives the Beatitudes or blessings; standards of conduct; a contrast of kingdom values with worldly values.  These blessings show us what we as followers of Christ can expect from the world verses what God's blessings will be.
I cannot wait to teach the children this lesson on Wednesday night!   
So here is your invitation:
Wednesday, November 2nd, All children are invited to the Story Room ( Rm 205) at 5:50pm to hear the Gospel According to Dr. Seuss through the story of Yertle The Turtle.  Parents will attend the All Souls Day Requiem Service in the Cathedral at 6:00.  Following the service, we will all enjoy a shrimp boil.  There will be "kid friendly food" too.

 

I also want to get a few other dates on your calendar:

Friday, November 4th: Kid's Movie Night 6-8pm in the Edward Room 

Sunday, November 13th: Mad Platter 4-6pm.  Please RSVP to me so that I can let the mad Platter know how many to expect. bbabson@trinitysc.org

Friday, November 18th 3rd Friday Parent's Night (If you would like to host, please let me know.)

Sunday, November 27th: Lessons and Carols 4-5pm in the Cathedral followed by the 2nd Annual Advent Festival and chili cook-off.

Sundays during Advent (December 4,11,18): Children's Program during Evensong 4:00-5:00 in the Story Room.

What has refined you?

Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus he has always intrigued me and delights every child who ever hears his story or sings his song.  What made him so curious about this traveling preacher named Jesus?  What drove him to tuck in his tunic and climb that tree?  Curiosity? A desire to follow the crowd?  I don’t think that was enough to drive this affluent, turncoat, untouchable to climb a tree just to catch a glimpse of someone he had only heard mutterings about.  There was some great need in his life that drove him to scamper up that tree. Something only God could refine within him that caused him to desperately hope that seeing Jesus would make a difference in his life.  Had the thought previously occurred to him he could make things right by giving away half of his possesions to the poor?   Maybe he longed for a new and different life, but he lacked the power to change?  I believe Jesus himself,  our great and perfect refiner, drove him up the tree that day He passed through Jericho.

Jesus then says with absolute urgency, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”   Jesus looked straight at this man in a tree, tunic tucked between his legs, straight at this man who was looking for Him and saw straight to his heart. He could see the sin, but he looked beyond the fithy rags and saw the need. He saw the great potential. This wee little man, although a cheat, could become a great man in the Kingdom of God. Despite the greed that was so apparent in Zacchaeus’ life, Jesus could see his potential for righteousness and the readiness for salvation.  He saw what his Father had worked so hard to refine in this man! 

What is He refining in you?  

He knows your heart. He knows what will set you free. He knows what will move you toward wholeness. He knows what will remove the impurities and bring you out of those tough, rough, hot spots.  He knows how you can become effective for him. Will you allow Him to refine you?  

I absolutely have to share this.  I don't remember where I saw it or how long ago.  It literally took me my entire Saturday afternoon to find it but I was bound and determined to put my hands on it because I felt like it speaks to this Gospel lesson.  You may have read it too, but it is worth a second look.  I hope it speaks to you as it did to me!  

Did you come out smelling like a rose?

Or do you fall into the same trap I find myself in?  I so want to be the one who follows all of the traffic laws; the frugal one who uses coupons; the one who always gives credit where credit is due; the one who comes out smelling like the rose when times get tough as compared to those around me.  In our humanity this is impossible.  We have nothing to claim but our dependence on God's mercy. 
So, how in this world do we not become prideful yet maintain a daily confidence; confident yet humble?
That’s the goal, isn’t it? A holy tension. The struggle you and I face every day in ourselves; humble confidence.  Now there is an oxymoron.  How do we use every strength, talent, and ability for God''s glory and every weakness as an opportunity to demonstrate God's power.  The Pharisee in Luke's Gospel this week announced how "good" he was in his prayers, yet the tax collector announced his sinfulness and begs for mercy unable to even look up to heaven.  Which one comes out smelling like a rose?  Well, the tax collector of course, he is the one who went home justified.

 

We all want to be justified.  I marvel at the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who even thrown into the fiery furnace come out and "there was no smell of fire on them". (Dn. 3:27)  We all want to come through fiery trials smelling like a rose and not of smoke like others do.  We all want to be humble in our daily walk and  be exalted.  We all want to thank God that we are "not like other men" (Lk.18:11), but oh how we are!
When this happens and we forget, if only for a moment our human-constructed divisions, and stand before God aware only of our need, then we, too, are justified by the God of Jesus and invited to return to our homes in mercy, grace, and gratitude.