Today's Scripture Reading (September 1, 2026): Jeremiah 35
A story is told about Mahatma (a title meaning
"high-souled" or "venerable" one) Gandhi attending a
meeting with the King of the British Empire. The meeting took place in the days
when Britain still ruled India as a colony. In the story, Gandhi heads for the
meeting wearing the same rags that he had always worn. A reporter greeted him
on the way and asked where he was going. Gandhi responded by describing the
meeting he was about to attend. The reporter then apparently questioned whether
Gandhi was really heading to such an important meeting with the King dressed as
he was. Gandhi apparently smiled and told the reporter that he was sure that
the King had enough clothes for both of them.
The story underscored Gandhi's identification with
people experiencing poverty in his nation. He never ceased pursuing India's
independence, but with as much effort as he expended on the nation's
independence, he also interceded for the poorest of the poor and ended the
practice that rendered certain people within the culture untouchable. Gandhi
desired both independence and financial equality for the people of his nation
and worked toward them even at meetings that had nothing to do with either.
Jehonadab lived three hundred years before the
Book of Jeremiah was written, and he had taught his descendants the value of
living humbly. Jehonadab believed the root of war and disagreement was the
affluence of one party, so he advised his family to shun possessions so they
could live in peace wherever they chose to be. For three centuries, his
descendants followed Jehonadab's instructions and lived in peace. His
descendants shunned possessions, living as a nomadic people and never building
a house or planting a vineyard that would encourage them to settle in one
place.
Some might consider Jehonadab's instructions
to his children simplistic, but if we are going to work toward world peace, we
have to begin to erase the distance between those who have and those who live
in lack in our world. World peace is more than just speaking the words (or, in
some cases, changing your name). Economic equality is vital if peace is what we
are really after. But it is more than just a war against individual poverty; we
also need to address it at the national level. The truth is that Jehonadab was
right; to live in peace requires living humbly. The slogan "make poverty
history" could easily be rewritten as "make affluence history."
But either way, the financial paths of our world need to be balanced if we are
going to dream of lasting peace between people, tribes, or nations.
Tomorrow's
Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 36
