Today’s
Scripture Reading (May 23, 2019): Psalm
31
Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman have garnered most of the press
over the 2019 College Admissions Scandal, but they are not the ones who have paid
the most to have their kids admitted into a prestigious University. A few
select parents paid over a million dollars and at least one parent paid over
six million dollars for the privilege. Lori and Felicity are just the names
that most of us recognize. But what seems to set Lori Loughlin apart from the
others is her plea of innocence and the reason why she feels she has done
nothing wrong. Of course, her reasoning may also backfire on her. Lori feels
she is innocent because this kind of behavior has been going on in the college
admissions realm for a very long time. Every time someone donated money to buy
a building on campus with a wink and nod understanding that their generosity
was going to allow for their child to attend the school, they were doing the
same thing. And yet, these people had never been charged with a crime.
Unfortunately, the defense is likely to fall on deaf ears. What
Lori doesn’t seem to realize is that the times are changing. Her words seem to
reinforce the idea that those with money play by different rules than those of
us who do not possess that kind of wealth. In a society that is supposed to be
built around the idea that everyone is equal and set apart, not by our
heritage, wealth or skin color, but rather by our own innate abilities and
talents, this kind of defense flies in the face of who we think that we are.
The rise of the political left throughout North America is likely to see
Loughlin’s defense as words that will lead us into a battle between the haves
and the have nots. Those in possession of great wealth are becoming
increasingly concerned about the wealth gap that exists in industrialized
countries because there is a tipping point when the wealth gap just becomes the
reason for revolution.
David begins Psalm 31 by telling God that he intends to take
refuge in him and his righteousness. He hopes that by doing that, he will never
be put to shame. David’s commitment is that he wishes to do things that are right,
not by the standard of humanity and what others might do, but that it would
reflect what God would want of him, and that he would commit himself to the
actions that God had demanded. David understands that this is not the way that
he has always acted. In the past, he has sought his own righteousness or the
righteousness of others, but that has always let him down and led him into
shame. Now David seeks God’s righteousness and God’s way. Because he trusts
that following what God believes to be right will always lead him away from
shame.
We are living in a time when it seems that the rules that have
traditionally governed life are changing. We are rearranging our society
according to a cultural equality that is above racial, gender, and wealth
differences. And in a changing time, things are considered to be wrong that
were never regarded as wrong before. But if we hold to God righteousness, the
change will not affect us. We will continue in a way that will always be
considered to be right.
Tomorrow’s
Scripture Reading: Psalm 32
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