The priest is to take some cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet wool and throw them onto the burning heifer. – Numbers 19:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 30, 2015): Numbers 19

Pope Francis, during his historic visit to the United States, characterized himself in several ways. He mentioned that he was a “son of this continent” (the Pope is from Argentina), and in doing so identified himself as one of us. He also called himself “the son of an immigrant” (the Pope’s father emigrated from Italy in 1929 to escape the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini), and with these words he identified with the immigrant population in the United States and weighed in on the Immigration debate that currently rages in the nation. He spoke about our responsibilities to the least of these and proposed the abolishment of Capital Punishment. His words seemed to come off as the “Pope of the People” – the one who had left the ivory tower behind and was deeply concerned for the same issues as “the least” of our continent.

The only thing missing was an insistence that he was the greatest of all sinners. And I don’t mean this in a disparaging way or as a prelude to the release of some savory piece of gossip about the Pope. I love that he was a nightclub bouncer before his time at Seminary, somehow it makes him a little more human. But the admission of sin seems to be something that is sadly missing among our religious – and our political - leaders. Donald Trump insists that he has never done anything wrong which required him to seek for forgiveness from God - a statement which simply reveals a lack of biblical understanding. I do not want – or need – the salacious details. My fear is that we have forgotten what it is like to be far from God – and if we don’t remember, how can we expect to minister to a nation that is questioning whether God even exists.

As Moses lists these things that are to be burned with the Red Heifer in this rite of cleansing, scholars have noticed some parallels. One of them is that all of these things are used in the cleansing of a leper. In Moses day, Hansen’s Disease (leprosy) was not just a physical health issue. Even though it was untrue, most recognized leprosy as a reflection of the interior spiritual health of the person. In other words, leprosy was a sign of the sin in your life – and if you suffered from leprosy, the sin must have been great. So as David screams out to God in Psalm 51 “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean …” (Psalm 51:7), what he is actually doing is identifying himself with the leper. It is as if he is saying “Look at me – I am the worst sinner you could possibly find.” The statement is echoed by St. Paul in his letter to a young pastor named Timothy - “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst” (1 Timothy 1:15). At a time when Christian failings are public, the message that needs to go out is that we are just like anyone else – we fail miserably. We are not proud of that fact, but we understand the sin that the world struggles with, because we are working to overcome it just like everyone else. And if God can forgive us (as Christians) and me (as a Christian Leader) – there is hope and forgiveness available for all of us.

Astute readers of this passage have noticed something else. Each of these three items connect with the crucifixion of Jesus. Cedar wood is a reminder of the cross itself. Some believe that the cross was made of cedar, but we can all agree that it was at least made of wood. A hyssop branch was used to lift a drink up to Jesus lips in the midst of his suffering. And the scarlet wool was a reminder of his blood. Or maybe it is the other way around. All of these things were elements of the rite of purification and of the cleansing of a leper. And on the cross, Jesus identified with the leper, and purified the world forever.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 20

The LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites. – Numbers 18:20

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 29, 2015): Numbers 18

If you are reading this, then I guess the world didn’t end last night. According to some it was supposed to be all over, at least according to some adherents of the Four Blood Moons prophecy. I know that there will be some out there proclaiming that something significant did happen, it is just going to take us a while to catch up with it.

The prophecy is tied to the book of Joel in the Old Testament which says that “The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord (Joel 2:31). A blood moon happens at the eclipse of the moon and last night’s Blood Moon was the fourth Blood moon in a row to appear on a significant Jewish holiday (There were blood moons during the past two Passovers and two during the Sukkot [The Feast of Booths or Tabernacles], the last of which occurred last night during the first day of the feast.) While an interesting occurrence, and maybe slightly rare, Judaism is a faith that measures its holy days by the movement of the moon, so four blood moons is not an unheard of event throughout history. Many have proclaimed messages about the significance of last night’s event, while others have cried out about the dangers of such prophecies – and I tend to side with the ones who are proclaiming danger.   

But then, I have a problem with prophecy. I get that we all want to know what comes next for all of us who live on this blue marble. I understand that we would all like to be able to tie into the next big financial collapse or, even more importantly, the end of the world, with our own personal plans, but it doesn’t work that way. Jesus himself told us that  “about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). Jesus actually borrowed the phrase from a belief about creation. The phrase, which Jesus applies to the end, was coined to describe the beginning – no one knows the day or the hour that the world was made (although this one simple fact has not stopped us from trying to figure it out. If you are interested and believe in a young earth, Archbishop James Ussher came up with the date October 23, 4004 B.C.E. at 6:00 p.m. – not sure which time zone. I wonder if anyone has made up the tombstone yet – In Loving Memory of the Earth, October 23, 4004 B.C.E – September 28, 2015 C.E. She had a long and fulfilling life. Ah, but I digress.)

The problem with prophecy is that it turns our focus toward an earthly reality and an earthly inheritance. As a believer in the Christian belief in the “Priesthood of all Believers” I take God’s word to the Levites very personally. And God words clearly say that we were not to have any inheritance in the land. God will be your share. God will be your portion. What that means is that we, as the priesthood of believers, find our hope and our security – our inheritance – in God. And if we really believe that, then this prophecy game really doesn’t matter. We find our fulfillment only in him, and not in knowing what comes next. What that means is that God holds our now, and our tomorrow. Both are precious, but they are also both safe in his hands. And therefore we live each moment of this life in the eternal now, trusting God for everything that the future might hold.

One more note: We know that this world will end. Maybe not last night, but sometime. But we who understand that God is our provision don’t have to fear that. We can trust the one who holds tomorrow - even with the end of the world.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 19

The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost! Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the LORD will die. Are we all going to die?” – Numbers 17:12-13

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 28, 2015): Numbers 17

Politicians quickly learn that what they say often begins to have a life of its own. As a speaker, I am often amazed at what it is that I say that finds root in someone life – and often not in a good way. I was recently questioned about whether I was a racist because I spoke about the pentatonic scale being played on the black keys of a piano – and that African American spirituals can be played on just the black keys. But I also openly wondered about the hymn “Amazing Grace” written by John Newton, a white slave trader. I wondered if just maybe the tune for this awesome song was taken from the slaves that Newton once transported from Africa to the Caribbean. Because “Amazing Grace” is a white spiritual – it is built around a pentatonic scale and can be played on just the black keys of the piano.

But the consequence of my words is that someone thought that I was racist. It wasn’t intended. But it was how my words had been interpreted. And I needed to re-evaluate my words. How can it be phrased differently? I know it was not my intention, but I want to make sure that I am not being misunderstood. (Unfortunately, to stop being misunderstood I might have to stop speaking – and writing.)  

We fear consequences. And actually this is a good thing. People who have no connection between an action and consequence are often sociopaths causing much damage to themselves and to others in our society. Proverbs repeatedly tell us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” But it is often not the Lord that we fear, it is the consequences of the Lord that scare us. And there were consequences to the Korah rebellion. The consequences were severe. The rebellion cost those who participated in the rebellion, and those that sympathized with the rebellion, their lives. And the rest of the community feared God because of the consequences. What they didn’t do was have a deep change of heart – and we know that because they kept on coming back to Moses and Aaron with an attitude of rebellion. Once the fear of the consequences had eased, they returned to the same rebellious place of the soul.

One of the eternal biblical truths is this - we can’t turn away from something without filling the emptiness that is left, or what we turned away from will just return and take its place once again in our lives. This was the experience of Israel. They turned away from rebellion, they swept their lives clean, but they did not take on the things of God in its place. And the fear of the consequences of God dissipated and the rebellion returned.

Misunderstandings happen. And I hate consequences. But I believe that if I fill the emptiness with Jesus, then the love that he brings into my life will win out over the misunderstandings. But if I leave the emptiness then I might as well be silent, because nothing good is going to come from my words.          

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 18

They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD’s assembly?” – Numbers 16:3

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 27, 2015): Numbers 16

I recently read an interview with Sir Paul McCartney. In the interview, Paul lamented a little about the legacy of John Lennon. The problem, as Paul sees it, is that John’s death at the hands of a madman made him a Saint. And being a Saint is great work, and I am definitely paraphrasing here, as long as you are dead. But most of us can’t survive the process while we are still alive. Paul has no desire to retire to his condo and watch “telly.” But as long as he is playing for his fans he will make a lousy Saint – because occasionally he will come out with awful stuff. Paul realizes this. The problem with the comparison between Saint John (Lennon) and Paul (McCartney) is that people always seem to compare John Lennon’s best with Paul McCartney’s awful. But that will only last for a time. The day will come when Paul McCartney will die (and I am definitely not wishing that day to come soon) and Saint John and Saint Paul will meet on level ground – and maybe then we will realize how great both of these musicians were and the gifts that they gave to the world.

But, to be honest, I also think that Paul is overstating his point. Yes, Beatles fans miss John. We also miss George. We are happy that we still have Paul and Ringo (although, admittedly a lot of us have no idea what to do with Ringo, although recently seeing him in a “Skechers” relaxed fit shoe television commercial did make me sit and watch the drummer for the half minute of the advertisement.) But many of us are extremely grateful for what they have given to us – and love what Paul continues to bring to us from his extraordinarily gifted mind. The reality is that every one of the Beatles had a key role to play within the band and within our culture. We would have been poorer for missing any of the four of them.

Korah rises up against Moses and Aaron. His accusation starts off with a statement of fact – the whole community was holy, meaning that Israel had been set apart from the rest of the world by God. And Korah is right, the whole community was holy. God was with Israel, not just with Moses and Aaron. But behind the words something else is lurking. Korah is not content with where he is placed within the community. On the surface he is preaching equality for all of Israel, but what he really wants is to replace Moses and Aaron at the top of the chain of command. And the reason is fairly plain – Moses and Aaron make lousy Saints – because they are still alive. They are still making mistakes, the awful still lurks in the shadow of the best that Moses and Aaron bring to the task at hand; sometimes they don’t understanding how the community works, or what God expects from them. And Korah believes that he can do better. But what Korah misses is that Moses and Aaron are not in their positions because of their abilities. They are there because that is where God has placed them. And Korah has risen to a place of leadership because that is where God has placed him. But Korah decides to use his leadership not to advance the things of God, but rather to advance himself. And in doing this sets himself up against not only Moses and Aaron, but also against God. And he did it in full view of his audience. What he fails to mention in his attack is that it was Moses and Aaron who had been used by God to bring Israel out of Egypt, something that Korah evidently had not been able to do. But now that Israel was out of Egypt, Korah was convinced that he was the man to lead the nation into whatever came next. On this day, the nation of Israel would suffer loss at the hands of Korah. His revolution would fail, but the division it brought to Israel would weaken the nation. And whether we are the Beatles or a nation, we always stand stronger when we are united.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 17

But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or foreigner, blasphemes the LORD and must be cut off from the people of Israel. – Numbers 15:30

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 26, 2015): Numbers 15

During the last Republican debate there was a great exchange between Donald Trump and Jeb Bush over the end result of political fundraising. According to Trump, Bush has no choice but to exist in the debt of those interest groups who have raised money for his campaign (Trump on the other hand has turned down all donations so that he has no one to whom he is beholding.) But Bush’s response was that there has only been one donor who had ever tried to influence him with money, and that attempt failed. And the name of the donor who tried to influence Bush with donations to his campaign – Donald Trump. Trump’s reaction to Bush’s charge was priceless. His mouth opened wide and he shook his head. No, that was not true. He had never tried to influence Bush with donations – never.  And if he had, he would have gotten exactly what it was that he wanted – his people were that good.

Of course, the fact checkers found that Bush’s allegation was true. Trump’s men had indeed met with Bush’s staff hoping to build a casino in Florida – and Bush had held his ground and said ‘no’ in spite of the donations that had been made to his campaign. Bush was right, Trump had tried to influence him with his money. But the bigger question might be this – did Trump know that he was lying, or was this attempt something that he had forgotten about or maybe the attempt to influence Bush was something of which Trump was unaware. And that is something that we may never know.

But there is a difference between wrongs that are made innocently and ones that are made with purpose. If Trump was mistaken and if he didn’t know his error, then he can apologize and be forgiven. But if he purposely lied about his attempt to influence Bush, then maybe there is a message about his character here to which we need to pay attention.

The Mosaic Law makes provision for sin. In some ways the reason for the provision is simple – sin happens and we, as imperfect people, need some way of dealing with that sin. And so there are allowances within the law for our imperfect behavior, and especially for the sins that we don’t intend to commit. But the Mosaic Law takes a different approach to sins that are committed defiantly – or literally sins committed with a “high hand.” Anyone who knows that they are sinning and just doesn’t care about their sin must be removed from the community. It is very likely this passage that the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews has in mind in these words - If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God (Hebrews 10:26-27).

Sin happens, but repeated sin is often us saying that we don’t care about the things that God cares about. We are being ruled by self, and as long as that is true, then we are guilty for our sin. True repentance can only happen when we begin to care about what God cares about – and when we decide to come to God humbly knowing that it is we who stand in the wrong.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 16

But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. – Numbers 14:10

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 25, 2015): Number 14

I recently found an article in my inbox from a ministry magazine entitled “Four Reasons Why it’s Time to Fire the Pastor.” Evidently someone had decided that I needed to read the article - and so I did. The author outlined his four reasons, and admitted that there were many more, as being sexual infidelity, financial mismanagement, promoting himself over God, and preaching heresy. The first three seemed to be automatic, but the last one made me a little angry. There is a clause in the rulebook of the denomination that I minister with that says basically the same thing, any pastor can be removed for preaching heresy. And my question is this – who gets to decide whether or not someone is preaching heresy? Isn’t it part of the Pastor’s – or any other church leader’s – job to press the people of God beyond what is comfortable? There are many behaviors that are common in my denomination that were once branded as heresy – including, but not limited to, adult baptism and the idea that every Christian needs to read the Bible. People have not just been removed from the church for these offenses, they have been executed for believing either one of these things. They were clear cut heresies then, but now they are the expected behaviors, at least within the context in which I minister. I am thankful for people in the past who chose to become heretics and baptise adults. I am indebted to the first heretics that were involved in translating the Bible into German and French and English so that the average person could know what was contained within the pages of the book.

In today’s church I believe that we throw the word heresy around a little too easily. Too often we refuse dialogue because we think we know “the truth” – and we brand leaders as being non-Christian for the sin of not agreeing with us on hot topic issues. The word heresy shuts down dialogue at a time when what we really need is to talk more.

Joshua and Caleb had entered into Canaan and had explored the Promised Land. And they had decided that if God was with them, then there was nothing that could stop them. But to the people, that advice sounded insane. And so they decided to brand Joshua and Caleb as heretics, and then carry out the prescribed punishment against them which was execution by stoning. If God had not intervened, the history of the Nation of Israel might have been very different – after all, there would have been no Joshua and Caleb to lead the nation into Canaan forty years later.

But that seems to be the problem. Too often we brand as insane those who hold a different idea than we do about the way this world works. But if history holds any example with regard to heresy maybe it is this – sometimes the heretic is right. Maybe rather than spout out meaningless words when we think we see heresy, it would be better to sit and listen – and to try to understand. I have seldom been sorry for the words that I have not spoken – and I often wish that I could take back the things that I have said. I need to be continually reminded that I am nothing more than a simple Christian who has been called to one simple task – love the world in which I live. The judging of it I will leave to one more qualified. There are Bible teachers who I disagree with, and I am sure that they disagree with me. But my hope is that we could still sit together and dialogue over the issues, and maybe understand each other just a little better. This, I believe, is exactly what our faith demands of us – this, and little more.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 15

Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” – Numbers 13:31

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 24, 2015): Numbers 13

Apparently the Beatles believe that music is meant to be enjoyed - and not analyzed. A story is told about the writing of the Beatles song “I am the Walrus,” and the genesis of the song was a letter that John Lennon received from a High School student whose teacher had assigned the class to analyze Beatles lyrics (maybe the student was hoping for a little help with his homework.) But Lennon’s response to the letter was to write a song that defied analysis –and that song was “I am the Walrus.” And suddenly the song makes sense – rather, it is nonsense.

I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.
See how they run like pigs from a gun, see how they fly.
I'm crying.

Sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the van to come.
Corporation tee-shirt, stupid bloody Tuesday.
Man, you been a naughty boy, you let your face grow long.
I am the egg man, they are the egg men.
I am the walrus, goo goo g'joob.

                                                                        John Lennnon and Paul McCartney

(Personally I think the goo goo g’joob makes the song).

As Israel prepares to invade Canaan, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the analysis of the spies. Canaan is fortified; this is not a land that is ripe for invasion. In fact, it might be a little like Canada deciding to invade the United States, or Belarus deciding to invade Russia. Any decision to invade was simply incomprehensible – it defied analysis. So as Caleb speaks up among the people, and his words must have sounded a little like “goo goo g’joob.”

But underlying the words of Caleb that made no sense was a trust in the God of Israel. No, moving the nation of Israel into Canaan was not a rational response to the situation – but that didn’t really matter. If God said that this was the action that needed to be taken, then this is what needed to be attempted.

I am convinced that we play things too cautiously within the Christian Church. We are so afraid that we are going to fail that we don’t even attempt the things that God has placed in front of us. What is it that you are attempting for God that if God doesn’t move you will fail? If there is nothing on that list, then you are playing it too safe. Caleb was willing to attempt something that unless God moved, he would fail. But his trust was such that he could not conceive of not making the attempt. The results, well, they would have to be left up to God - Goo goo g’joob.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 14

When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous—it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease, and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. – Numbers 12:10-11

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 23, 2015): Numbers 12

There is an accusation by the outsiders of the Republican Candidates about what it means to be a politician. Of course, their insistence is that they are not politicians. According to the outsiders, a politician is someone who keeps his finger on the attitudes of the nation and then acts and speaks accordingly. The image is that of a politician as someone who has a graph going off inside of their heads that tells them when they say something that the people approve of and when they hit the buttons that make their audience uneasy (like an audience turning a dial up at things that they like and down when they disapprove of what a candidate is saying) – and then they limit themselves to the things that find audience approval. But a leader on the other hand does the right thing, whether or not the audience approves. And what we need now is a leader, one that will take our nations to where we need to be, and won’t worry about the cost.

I am not sure that that is the definition of a politician, but it is a pretty good description of a leader. The problem is that we don’t seem to react well to real leaders. We want politicians who will simply do what it is that we want them to do. And in the current Republican debate, I think we have good examples of leaders both from the candidates on the inside and on the outside of the American political structure.  Oh, we are glad a leader is there when the waters get rough and we have no idea what to do, but when the water is flat we want someone to steer the ship the way that we believe it needs to be steered. The problem is that trouble often starts when the water is flat. The right choice made during good times can help us avoid the extreme trouble spots. A leader knows this – and apparently, at least according to the Republican outsiders, a politician does not.

But if we accept this definition of a politician, then we might have the Bible’s first real politician in Aaron. Aaron seemed unable to lead and he is constantly swayed by those around him. We see it when the crowd wanted an idol to worship instead of this God that Moses had gone up on the mountain to meet. Aaron, rather than standing his ground and supporting his brother as a true leader would, acquiesced and gathered the supplies and then actually made the idol – a golden calf. This was to be Israel’s god. When Moses returned and saw the golden calf, he broke the tablets containing the Ten Commandments in anger and disbelief in what his brother had done.

Here as Miriam rebels against Moses, Aaron once again is swayed to support her in the fight. It is only when Miriam turns leprous that Aaron turns and pleads with Moses. At this point, once again Aaron shifts his ground and is swayed back into the court of Moses. But as we read the story, it becomes apparent that Aaron is only really serving himself. He is swayed by the moment to do whatever the people he is with wants him to do. His confession to Moses is filled with self-interest. After all, maybe he could be the next to be disciplined by the God that Moses served.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 13.

The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! – Numbers 11:4

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 22, 2015): Numbers 11

The informal debate between those who support Black Lives Matter and those who proclaim that Blue Lives Matter seems to be picking up steam (I have already gone on the record that, for me, the argument itself is a problem because every single life on our planet matters, and whenever we elevate one life over another we are asking for trouble.) But the debate does highlight our diversity as a culture; a diversity that can be an incredible strength. As a diverse culture, we have the incredible ability to see problems from different angles, and because of this ability we can often find solutions that we didn’t know were there.

But diversity can also create problems as each diverse group tries to elevate itself at the expense of another group (of course, in the current debate both sides just want to elevate to par. At least I hope that no one would dare to argue that one group of lives is more important than another.) But we often have differing goals and aspirations – and often even differing ideas surrounded the moral issues of our society and what is right and what is wrong. And when these ideas become a matter of public debate, often both sides begin to believe that they are not being heard – and as a result the conflict increases and the fight heats up. This seems to be exactly what is happening between the Black Lives Matter and the Blue Lives Matter groups in our current cultural climate.

The Hebrew word that we have translated as “rabble” in this passage leaves us with a problem. We don’t really know what the word means, and this is the only verse in the entire Bible where the word is used. And really it could be interpreted two ways. First, we know that when Moses brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, he did not bring just the Israelites out of Egypt. Israel was not the only race of people that had been enslaved by the Egyptian society. And as Israel left, the slaves of many races – including Egyptian slaves – came with them. They became aliens who didn’t quite fit in with the developing culture of Israel, and yet they also had a clear voice within that culture. And it could be that this is who is indicated by the word we have translated as rabble.

But the second possibility is that the “rabble” speaks of a spiritual difference between those within the group. Some had come to understand the spiritual reality that was represented by Moses – that God was doing a work in them and that their future was secure in his hands. But others weren’t convinced. And it was these others that seemed to be the initiators of the conflict.

But either way, it appears that there was a group of dissatisfied individuals within the Mosaic community. And it was there complaints that began the wailing of the nation. The diversity which could have been an incredible strength became an incredible weakness – and the resulting conflict tested both the patience of Moses and of God.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 12

But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.” – Numbers 10:31

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 21, 2015): Numbers 10

Donald Trump continues his improbable run toward the White House. I have to admit that there are times when I shake my head and say “we aren’t actually going to elect this guy, are we? He has been an interesting diversion, but when do we realize that he can’t do the job.” The problem with Trump actually lies in the very thing that is getting him noticed – his ego. I just can’t see him possessing the ability to handle delicate situations and I am not sure that he has the humility to ask for help when he needs it – and there is no doubt that if he actually wins the White House, he will need it. One of the paradoxes of American politics is simply this, to get elected you must possess an incredible ego, but to actually successfully complete the job you have to be a person of incredible humility. This is why the wrong person often gets elected. The very traits needed to win the election become a liability on the job. Humility and ego seldom go hand in hand.

Some have noticed what they call the “moral problem” in this passage. The problem is simply this, if Moses has God; if he has the cloud to go before him during the day and the fire to go before him at night, of what possible use could Hobab be? Isn’t God all that we need?

I hear the same sentiment from my Christian friends – all I need is God. I don’t need anything or anyone else. But the problem is that God has very clearly placed all of us in community – and we are not to shun it. God leads, but some of the puzzle pieces that we need to survive he places in the ones that surround us. Yes, we need God, but that does not negate the fact that we also need each other. It is an incredibly arrogant person that dares to say that all they need is God and then shun community. God often seems to use the community that surrounds us as the lens which brings the commands of God into focus. And God has designed it that way, so it can’t be immoral.

We are actually the Great Self-Deceivers. We have the ability to convince ourselves that God has said something, when the reality is that he said no such thing. It is the community that can help us work through that – as long as we are humble enough to accept what the community has to say. But community is a double edged sword. It can help carry us toward God, or away from him. So we need to choose carefully the people that will form the community that we gather around us. Moses understood this, and for this reason he needed Hobab by his side.

Maybe I am wrong, but Donald Trump has not proven that he has this ability. I am not sure that he is honest enough even with himself to look at a situation and know that he has entered an area where he needs to sit and listen to somebody else. Maybe he will surprise me. If he is elected, I hope so. Because whoever occupies the White House after 2016 needs to possess a Moses like humility, knowing both when to charge forward and when to ask for help.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 11

So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover, and they did so in the Desert of Sinai at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Israelites did everything just as the LORD commanded Moses. – Numbers 9:4-5

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 20, 2015): Numbers 9

In 1878, Elisha Hoffman published his hymn “Are You Washed in the Blood of the Lamb?” The hymn is based on the exchange between John and one of the elders in Revelation 7. John is asked if he knows who the ones are who are wearing the white robes. But then the elder answers his own question - “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14). Many mourn that the contemporary church seems to be losing this language of being “washed white by the blood of the Lamb.” But in defense of the contemporary church, the words by themselves make no sense. I know that they are biblical, but they are part of a story – an important story. I believe strongly that we need to be singing songs like Hoffman’s “Are You Washed by the Blood of the Lamb?” But we need to do more than just sing the songs – we have to be willing to tell the story that lies behind the song.

That was exactly what the celebration of the Passover was intended to do – it was designed to tell “the story.” This was the first anniversary of the night of the Passover, and there is almost a sense in the telling of this story that the people weren’t really sure that they needed the celebration. After all, the real event hadn’t happened all that long ago. But God knew they needed to get into the habit of telling the story of how a lamb was killed and the blood of the lamb was placed on the doors of the houses. And then, when they angel came killing the first born of Egypt, the angel passed over the homes of Israel. Israel needed to get in the habit of re-enacting that moment.

For the Christian, the imagery of the Passover is alive and well. In fact, it is the Christian Passover to which Revelation 7:14 is referring. In that version, Jesus death just prior to the Passover celebration becomes our Paschal Lamb. It is his blood that marks us – and that washes us clean. We are washed white by the blood of our Lamb. The concept is important – but only if we know the story. If the contemporary church loses the language of the Blood of the Lamb, it won’t be because we stopped singing the songs, it will be because we stopped telling the story that allows the songs to make sense.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 10

Every firstborn male in Israel, whether human or animal, is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for myself. And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons in Israel. – Numbers 8:17-18

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 19, 2015): Numbers 8

Jim Elliot was murdered in the jungle of Ecuador trying to evangelize Huaroni people. He was twenty-eight year old. For many, Elliot’s life seemed to have been a waste. But Elliott wold have disagreed. He was sure that God had called him, and he felt that he really had no choice but to follow – apparently even if that action was going to carry him into places where his death could come prematurely.  Words written in his journal on October 28, 1949, when Elliot was twenty-one, sum up the way that Elliot felt about his life - "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." The words are actually a paraphrase of 17^th century preacher Philip Henry – “He is no fool who parts with that which he cannot keep, when he is sure to be recompensed with that which he cannot lose." This was the way that Elliot intended to live his life. Elliot also said that “God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with him.” If Elliot wanted God’s best – the choice had to be left with God.

The idea that the choice is best left with God is not an alien one to those who are wanting to chase after the things of God. And the idea originates with the Mosaic Law. The final plague as Israel prepared to leave Egypt was a plague against the first born. In Egypt, unless you were part of Israel, the first born of every animal - died. But Israel didn’t get away from the plague with no cost to them. Their first born of Israel might have survived that awful night of death, but now their lives belonged to God.

Eventually, God would make a trade. He would allow the firstborn of the tribes of Israel to be redeemed by making a sacrifice, but in return for this privilege God claimed the Tribe of Levi for himself. And the Levites could not be redeemed. They were called to be God’s possession, his priests who would minister in his presence. The Levites were to be his.

Ultimately there was another substitute – a universal one. Jesus died for our sins and as a result he calls his church to be his own. We join the Levites as the priests of this world – the possession of God. Elliot was right on every count.   "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose" and “God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with him.” If only we could come to really understand that. Oh, and by the way, Elliott’s life was not wasted. He had already given his life to his God, and no one could take that away.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 9

For the LORD had said to Moses, “Each day one leader is to bring his offering for the dedication of the altar.” – Numbers 7:11

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 18, 2015): Numbers 7

Nine Kings

In May 1910, European Royalty gathered in London for the funeral of King Edward VII. The event provided the opportunity for a very special photograph – one featuring nine kings. It may have been the only time that nine sitting kings were photographed together. If Edward had lived for even just a more few years, the photograph may never have happened. Standing in the back the picture features King Haakon VII of Norway (considered to be one of the greatest pre-war Norwegian leaders), King Ferdinand of Bulgaria (he would fight in the First World War on the side of Germany and would abdicate after the war in an effort to save the Bulgarian throne), King Manuel II of Portugal (he would lose his throne to revolution just months after this photo was taken), Kaiser Wilhelm II of the German Empire (he would lose his throne following the World War I), King George I of The Hellenes (or Greece – he would be assassinated in 1913), and King Albert I of the Belgians (Albert would refuse to allow Germany passage through his territory so that Germany could attack France, insisting on Belgian neutrality, and as a result of Albert’s actions Belgian suffered under a long occupation during World War I). Seated in the picture were King Alfonso XIII of Spain (one of the few European nations to successfully stay neutral during World War I), King-Emperor George V of the Great Britain, and King Frederick VIII of Denmark (Frederick would die just two years after this picture was taken). But this was a moment in time, one of the few times and places where a picture like this might be possible. Today Greece, Bulgaria, Portugal and Germany no longer have Kings that could appear in a photograph. At best there would only be five kings (and actually it would be three kings and two queens) that could appear together to be photographed. But on this day there were nine, and all of that makes this photograph special.

We like to mark special occasions. We hold special gatherings that go by a variety of names – funerals, birthdays, coronations and dedications to mention a few. We give gifts, but maybe the most important gift we can give is the gift of our presence. It was significant that these nine men wanted to honor the life of Edward VII with their presence – and with a picture.

At the completion of the Tabernacle a special celebration was called. Gifts for the Tabernacle were to be brought, but maybe more importantly, the leaders of the tribes paraded to the Tabernacle to personally give their gifts – and at the same time they gave the gift of their presence. These were the princes of a nation – princes that did not always agree with other, but they would join together to honor this event – this dedication of the Tabernacle. And in many ways their presence was more important than the gifts that they brought. Because in bringing their presence they also brought their active commitment to chase after the things of God. And nothing could have been more important in this moment of time.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 8

The LORD bless you and keep you … - Numbers 6:24

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 17, 2015): Numbers 6

Canadian Politician Justin Trudeau recently became the target of Canadian musician and celebrity interviewer “Nardwuar the Human Serviette.” (Or known by his more pedestrian name of origin, John Rushkin. Rushkin legally changed his name to “Nardwuar the Human Serviette” in 1986. In case you are wondering what the name means, Rushkin explains it this way – “Nardwuar” is just a dumb, stupid name like Sting or Sinbad; “Human” comes from a Cramps song called “Human Fly”; and “Serviette” is because in the United States they don’t call them Serviettes, they call them napkins. Now you know.) Nardwuar attacked Trudeau on what he called his “Rock and Roll Heritage.” It has been a familiar theme during the Canadian election campaign leading up to this fall election. Justin Trudeau, unlike most people in our culture, never really seems to have had to struggle for anything. Even this current run for Prime Minister seems to be coming to him without any effort on the part of Trudeau to “pay his dues” in Canadian Politics. Nardwuar doesn’t use the word, but you can almost hear him say “Mr. Trudeau, you are blessed.”

But the use of the word “blessed” in this case doesn’t really apply. In common usage we have taken this word and made it to mean almost the same thing as “charmed.” You are lucky. You are wealthy and good looking (according to his political opposition Trudeau has nice hair). You didn’t have to struggle to attain to success. You have led a life that most can only dream of – you are blessed. Except that the actual meaning of the word doesn’t include any of that. The root of the word “blessed” is simply “something that has been placed in the care of the divine.” The opening of this blessing that is to be pronounced continuously over Israel is actually written in typical Jewish parallelism – in other words, both segments of this opening line say exactly the same thing. “The Lord bless you” carries the identical meaning as “The Lord keep you.”

Our reality is that we serve a God who can’t wait to bless us. Most of us will never be wealthy. Most of us will experience health issues. Most of us will go through times of emotional and physical distress. But even in those times we can be blessed, because we can be assured that God is carrying us through to the end. Our lives have been placed in his hands, and no matter what happens here, our circumstances won’t change that one fact. And One of the most important times to remember that we are blessed is precisely when we are going through the struggle. In fact, I would advise you to watch some of the Christian Saints that surround us. Because I want to be like them. Even though life deals a blow, they continue on … knowing that they are secure in the hands of God

So let me speak this blessing over you and your day. Know that it comes from a God who can’t wait to bless you.

May the Lord bless you and keep you;
May the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
May the Lord turn his face toward you … and give you peace.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 7

 

Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has a defiling skin disease or a discharge of any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean because of a dead body. – Numbers 5:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 16, 2015): Numbers 5

Ancient Egypt may have been one of the earliest civilizations to develop the idea of Medicine. And that was for good reason, their environment tended to make people sick. The Egyptians built their Empire close to the life giving waters of the Nile. You could not have life without first having access to water, and in ancient Egypt, other than the occasional oasis found in the desert, water meant the Nile River. But the Nile bought other things not so good with it, such as malaria and other diseases caused largely by parasites that inhabited its life giving water. Crocodiles were a constant threat to life in the region, and injuries from crocodile attacks were common. As well, the diet, especially of the wealthy, was rich in carbohydrates which left the ancient Egyptians with serious problems with their teeth – and apparently with their weight. We shouldn’t be fooled by the thin pictures of ancient Egyptians on tomb walls. Their mummies tell a different story – many Egyptians were obese.

The most ancient response to disease was isolation. Early on the people began to realize that sicknesses could spread from person to person. So as Israel emerges out of Egypt, they begin to form a very fundamental response to sickness – cast the person out. Even contact with the dead could bring disease on the living, so those that had to deal with a dead body needed also to be cast out, just as a precaution to make sure that they were not sick. The Mosaic Law uses the term unclean to describe these persons, a term that is loaded with ceremony, but also came with a very practical purpose – to keep the community at large healthy.

This idea of casting the sick out in Israel and Egypt and other societies might have been the beginning of what we know of as hospitals. It is a small step from casting someone out to beginning to develop a way of compassionately caring for those who have been isolated or cast out from the community. It is a practice that Christians have taken to heart. In almost every plague that has taken place in the past 2000 years, you will find healthy Christians that have taken their positions among the sick to ease the suffering and work toward a cure. Many of these health practitioners ended up suffering from the same disease that they were treating. But that cost was never considered too high to stop the practice of caring for the sick. The sick may have to be isolated from the community at large in order to protect the health of the community, but compassion still needed to be extended to them.

The idea of sickness in Israel was also a reminder to everyone of the penalty of death that was a result of the fall. Sickness was not sin, although sometimes we forget that even today, but it was a reminder of the sinful state of our world – and a reality for all who lived within it.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 6

After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting. – Numbers 4:15

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 15, 2015): Numbers 4

She has reigned longer than any other British Monarch. She is loved by most of her subjects as well as by most of the rest of the world. Most have not experienced any other King or Queen sitting on the Throne of England. She has been said to be “above politics.” And she has watched the world change around her, and yet somehow she has remained unchanged. She was crowned in 1953 at Westminster Abbey as a twenty-five year old woman. She ruled over colonies that dotted the planet, although most of them are gone now. And experts expect that those colonies that remain may leave the Empire after her death, but not before. She is held in too high regard for them to leave while she is still reigning on the throne. She was the last of British Royals to be educated at home and she was the first British Monarch to send an email (she sent the email in 1976) and the first to send a tweet (in 2014). Her marriage has lasted for seventy years, longer than that of any other British monarch and has outlasted the marriages of three of her four children. She has led Britain with a quiet stability, something that the British Empire needed more than anything else over the past 63 years.

And she has a motto. "There is a motto which has been borne by many of my ancestors — a noble motto, 'I serve'," she said. And serve she has. Since before she was Queen, she served. And because of that, we serve her.

It is really all that is asked of any of us – that we serve. The world is too full of bosses that believe that they are ruling the world. Our politicians have forgotten that they too are here to serve (although I have to admit that Donald Trump doesn’t remind me of a very good servant). Servants are what we need. If we could somehow just understand our place and decide that we were going to serve each other, no matter the cost, this world would be a much better place in which to live. Every one of us needs to adopt the Queen’s Motto – “I serve.” Nothing more or less is appropriate for us as global citizens.

Serving was a role that described exactly what the Kohathites were asked to do. Just serve. Their job was basically to carry the Tabernacle from one place to another. Their job was not to lead, they were not allowed to touch any of the items that they were carrying (special rods were built to slip through hoops in the items so that all they would have to do was touch the rods). They were only asked to carry. They would never ascend to a higher position, that would be left to someone else. This was their lot – they served the nation by carrying the Holy things of Israel.

Pope Francis commented in June 2013 that careerism (the pursuit of advancement within the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church) was a leprosy that had infected and threatened to destroy the church. Pope Francis wasn’t wrong. But it is not just the Roman Catholics that are suffering from this leprosy. Every denomination needs to hear the motto of the queen and echo the example of the Kohathites - and simply serve. Even the best leaders recognize this one paradox – they always lead better when they are willing to be the servants of the ones that are following. It was something that Jesus modeled as he took the towel and began to wash the feet of his disciples. It was the command that he left with us – go and serve!  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 5

They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle. – Numbers 3:8

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 14, 2015): Numbers 3

Democracy is a bit of a strange animal. In fact, true democracy doesn’t really exist. It can’t exist, except for maybe within very small groups of people. For one thing, democracy is time consuming. I am not sure that I know very many people that are willing to examine even the candidates themselves within an election cycle. If you are an American, what do you know beyond the sound bites of a candidate like Carly Fiorina. She is on the rise, but the more interesting question is simply this - does the average American understand why? In the Canadian political race, there are three contestants for the ultimate Canadian political prize. Two of them are known names, but maybe the most interesting one carries a name that is recognized but few really know the person – again, beyond just the sound bites we hear on T.V. Justin Trudeau carries a well-known political name, and many seem to believe that he was born to be Prime Minister, but I wonder if the average Canadian has taken the time to understand how he is similar and, maybe more importantly, how he differs from his famous father, former Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

And if we are unwilling to give the time necessary to research the candidates, then how will we ever make time in our lives to research the issues. The unfortunate truth is that we are shaped in our culture by sound bites. The average person has no idea what needs to be done to fix the economy, or how our foreign affairs could be carried out in a more constructive way. In times of crisis, if it were left up to us we would probably find ourselves hiding somewhere in a hole hoping to survive until the crisis had ended. We don’t have time to do the research, and so we vote for and hire someone else to do that job. Admittedly, after voting for them we often meddle so much in what we hired them to do that the job becomes tremendously more difficult, but that is why they are so well paid. True democracy requires a population that is willing to be informed on every issue, and our reality is that we simply do not have the time or the inclination to be the guardians of that kind of information. If we lived in a true democracy, nothing else would get done.

Israel’s main task was to honor and serve God. It was the main task, but it was not the only task. Much like us, there was a day to day routine that had to be completed. Food had to be brought in so that they could eat and water so that they could drink. Justice had to be handed out to those who refused to follow the societal rules. Public works had to be completed. An army needed to be trained and at the ready in case of a national emergency. The list could go on and on, just like our list goes on. And every one of these tasks took away from the task at hand – honoring and serving God. It is not that the rest of Israel could now be excused from being involved in the main task; God needed to be at the center of every activity. But there were some things that the average person simply had no time to do. If it was left up to them, these tasks would simply remain undone.

Enter the Levites. They were to fill that gap. Their job was to do minister in the Tabernacle before God – to take care of the things in the Tabernacle for which the average person just didn’t have time. They ministered before God, they completed the sacrifices, and reminded the average person of their own personal responsibilities before God – even in the midst of their busy daily lives. As a result of this specialized task, the Levites had no inheritance among Israel, they were to be cared for by the people.

But the unfortunate reality is that often the Levites were forgotten. When the people threw away the God of Israel, they also threw away the Levites. They toiled without the recognition that they deserved. They worked without pay.

As hard as it might be, sometimes we really need to pause and remember our politicians. Whether or not they are of the stripe that we would have ruling over us, theirs is a tough job. And we often don’t make that job any easier. And yet, as we consistently find ourselves in crisis, they are there to respond on our behalf, and to do the job for which they were elected. And for that they deserve our gratitude.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 4

The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard and holding the banners of their family. – Numbers 2:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 13, 2015): Numbers 2

Third Church of Christ, Scientist, in Washington D.C. was built according to a Brutalist architectural design. The church was octagonal in shape, it possessed few windows, and it was, even in the beginning, decidedly non-functional and ugly. Even the members of the church didn’t like the building. And almost from the completion of the structure, it seems that plans were beginning to form with regard to the demolition of the building. And then the unthinkable happened. Somebody outside of the church decided that the architecture of the church was important to preserve. So they applied to have the church moved into a protective status, meaning that the building would have to be kept and maintained in its current condition. And because of the building’s lack of functionality, the building would be impossible to sell. The shrinking congregation would have to keep the building that they hated.

Church architecture means something. Sometimes I think we forget that, and we build and arrange our churches according whim or customs at the time. But just like a modern nursing facility is built with its wings shooting out at weird angles to allow a minimum of staff to be able to take care of the facility, so the building of a church is at once functional and filled with meaning. The high arching ceiling of a traditional church allows for the historic church sound, but it is also intended to point the worshipper towards God. Even the way that we arrange the church furniture carries meaning. A Baptist Church that I know has a very unusual Church set up – at least for a Baptist church. The communion table is lifted up off of the floor and placed in the middle of the platform while the pulpit is shuffled over to the side. The message, which I am not sure many of the church do not understand, is that communion is central to their worship and that the Bible is to take a secondary role. It is an unusual theological position to take, especially when they celebrate communion once a month, but preach the word every Sunday.

The lay out of the camp of Israel was significant. The tribes were to be organized around the Tabernacle and the placing of the tribe of Levi. The functional part of this theme was that the standard bearers for the tribes would be able to see where Levi was setting up and then move to the very spot that their tribe should begin to set up. With experience, this process could be accomplished very quickly. But symbolically the set up meant that God was always at the center of the camp. Israel was to be theocentric (centred on God) and even the way that they set up the camp reflected that emphasis.

The problem with building according to fashion is that it is probably the easiest way to be found to be out of fashion. It is also one of the easiest ways to send a message that we never intended to send, just because we weren’t paying attention. It is a lesson that God taught to Israel during their desert wanderings, and a lesson that Third Church of Christ, Scientist had to learn the hard way. But the good news for Third Church was that in 2011, the historical label on their building was declared to be a hardship to the church and it was removed. The building would be torn down and replaced by an office tower. And I am not sure what meaning that action might carry.    

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 3

The ancestral tribe of the Levites, however, was not counted along with the others. – Numbers 1:47

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 12, 2015): Numbers 1

One of my favorite M*A*S*H characters was Father Mulcahy. Maybe it is an occupational hazard, but in many ways I kind of wish that I was more like this fictional priest. He didn’t operate, and yet he was a healer. He had a gentle way about him that I wish I was able to replicate. He spent hours with people who desperately needed someone who would simply listen. He was strong. He didn’t carry a gun, but he had enough courage to look at one with the barrel pointed at him. While the doctors and nurses hid in fear, Father Mulcahy stood and faced down the enemy. He was a man of peace, and yet he was a man of action. He knew how to laugh (jocularity, jocularity). He was a Jesuit priest, but he was a student of faith and seemed to be able to easily translate between religions. But maybe I identify with him more for his weaknesses. He never really seemed to believe that he measured up. He always strove to be just a little better; he wanted to make a difference. But the truth is that he was integral to all that happened at the 4077 M*A*S*H. Father Mulcahy was not just a priest, he was the lubricant that allowed everything else to function. The residents of the 4077 were not especially religious, but Mulcahy seemed to be able to bring God into the everyday circumstances at the army hospital.  Originally, the character was supposed to be a minor one, but Mulcahy quickly became a regular on the series – and loved by fans of the show.

The Levites were not to be included in counting process that is started in the opening pages of Numbers. Essentially the census was to count the people (men) who would be available to fight in the case of a conflict. The new reality for Israel, once they had left Egypt, was that now they were a people without a home - and no one was going to welcome them. Their ancestral home, the place where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had called home, was now in the possession of other nations. It was their home now. And it was possible that all that laid ahead for Israel was a fight.

But the Levites would not be part of that fight. I live in a redneck area where I sometimes wonder if we see people unwilling to fight as weak. But the Levites were not weak. They were dedicated to a different purpose. They ministered before God – and maybe the one thing that Israel never really seemed to get was that the people they were counting were of less importance than the ones that were not to be counted. Any fight that Israel would get into would not be won by their military prowess, it would be won by the God who the Levites served. He was the power behind Israel and the Levites were the moral compass that would keep Israel on track and lead them to this God of power. They may not have been counted, but they were never minor characters. The future of a nation depended on the work that they did.

For the fictional M*A*S*H 4077, that moral compass was Father Mulcahy. But in the real world the compass is all of us who serve Father Mulcahy’s God. I really believe that the wars that we fight will never be won by the guns that we carry. I believe that this world is still in the hands of the God of Levites – and that is the God that we serve.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 2

No person devoted to destruction may be ransomed; they are to be put to death. – Leviticus 27:29

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 11, 2015): Leviticus 27

A recent opinion article declared that “All Lives Matter” equals White Supremacy. The article goes on to challenge the reader to do the math – and the author states that in American politics all has never meant everyone. And while I see the reasoning behind the argument, I still feel that there is cultural shame heaped on us when we need to make statements like “Black Lives Matter.” The fact that “Black Lives Matter” should be ingrained in us so that our cultural response is amazement that some may not think that that is true. A few weeks ago I was speaking in front of my congregation and I outlined my vision for the church that I pastor. My dream is that we will experience a time when Black, White, Yellow, Red and Olive are colors that painter use on their canvasses, because we simply refuse to see them as dividing lines in our society. In making that statement, I am not trying to put down any culture – I love the idea of a cultural mosaic. But we must stop seeing one race as being better than any of the others.

The opinion article, written by Sean Eversley Bradwell, quotes Talib Kweli who recently told an audience that “All lives will matter when Black Lives Matter.” But the problem is that this is patently untrue. At best, “Black Lives Matter” moves the Double Standard somewhere else. Our culture does not feature just a Black/White rift, although that might be the most prominent one at this moment in time. But illegal immigration - and no, I am not talking about Canadians sneaking over the American Border – has revealed another cultural rift. Latinos also suffer in a White dominated society – but “Latino Lives Matter.” Where I live, north of the American-Canadian Border, the major dividing line is neither Black nor Latino, it is Native American. Native Americans suffer under an unfair burden in the culture in which I live. Their spirituality is maligned along with their character traits. But “Native American Lives Matter.” I would also like to argue that “White Lives Matter.” Every time I get to hold one of my grandchildren I am reminded of the incredible value of every life – and Mr. Bradwell, I mean every life. We do not need to move the double standard somewhere else – we must erase it. “Black Lives Matter” does not erase the double standard – it just moves it somewhere else.

Leviticus winds down with this thought – anyone devoted (that is, anyone who the law has convicted and stands guilty of a capital offense) must be put to death. There is no penalty that they can pay to buy themselves back. There can be no double standard. Being rich or being a Jew does not get you less punishment. And being poor or a foreigner does not get you more. Those who are accused and convicted must die. There is to be not even the appearance of a double standard at work here.

And this is not good for any of us, because the Bible also says clearly that we all stand condemned. There is no way out. Death is what it is that we have earned – all of us, and by that I mean everyone. However, as Christian we believe that Jesus has taken that penalty on to himself – not just for some, but for all (meaning every person.) Christianity has fallen, at times, into the double standard, but when it does – it fails.

The Apostle Paul describes it this way - You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8). The price has been paid, not just for the few, but the many – in fact, the all (meaning everyone.) It was paid by a man of olive skin for those of all colors and cultures – because “All Lives Matter” – or, if you like, because “Every Life Matters.”

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 1