1439AFC092614 – Duplex Grace
Read it online here, please.
Philippians 2:5 – Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus
NLT Philippians 2:5 Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had.
NJB Philippians 2:5 Make your own the mind of Christ Jesus:
1 John 2:5-6 – But whoever keeps his [Christ’s] word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to live [just] as he lived.
Something that operates as a duplex is something which is made up of two parts, especially two identical or equivalent parts.
Aloha pumehana ʻŌmea!
Today I want to share with you something that’s been bubbling around inside and now must burst out. It’s about the connection between gratitude and generosity and about exploring the connection between unselfishness and humility. When I read this verse from St. Paul’s letter to the Church at Philippi, it was one of those OH-NO/OH-WOW kind of moments. OH NO because that’s a lot to ask of earthlings like me – to have the same attitude about life as Christ has? Oh no, I don’t think I can do that! OH WOW because it is in and through Christ that this is not only possible, not only feasible, but also it is actually doable. True, it would take a remarkably dynamic individual to pull it off flawlessly, but it is something worth attempting because it opens us to the blessings which come from stretching our faith to the point of ridiculous generosity.
Let’s begin by taking a closer look at that quote from Philippians. In context, and looking at the structure, the prepositional phrase “in you” doesn’t mean “amongst you” but rather “in you,” that is in your own heart and soul. Walk the walk, talk the talk, live the life. It is the original and ultimate WWJD challenge. Jesus told his disciples they would do what he did and be able to do even more. (See John 14:12) That’s kind of the OH NO part; it’s asking for a lot of faith – the kind of faith that tosses mountains into the sea like a beach-ball from the end of the pier. Jesus says, though, that it only takes a tiny pinch of faith – about the size of a mustard seed – to do that. By those measurement standards, sometimes I feel that my own personal faith in Christ is somewhat less than the size of that mustard seed – more like something … sub-atomic!
There is a popular saying – often used when exhorting the Church to take up its rightful role as the steward of God’s Glorious Gifts – and many folks think it’s in the Bible; actually it’s one of those famous Bible verses that isn’t in the Bible. It goes like this: God will not be outdone in generosity. Now, the closest I can get to that is also in Philippians and in a very modern translation called The Message. Take a look at Philippians 4:19 there: You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Not quite the same, but close.
Another quote that often comes up in discussions of stewardship – especially tithing – is Malachi 3:10 – “Bring the entire tithe into the storehouse so that there may be food in my temple. Test me in this matter,” says the LORD who rules over all, “to see if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until there is no room for it all.” (NET Bible). Tithing is an Old Testament concept that’s been given new impetus in New Testament preaching so that it focuses on the Gifts we get from God: Time, Treasure, and Talent. Most people think tithing is only associated with “Treasure;” give us your money because it belongs to God. That’s a pretty narrow view! God has loaded-up all of us with so many gifts that we often overlook them. We take them for granted because they are granted/given to us in such abundance. We tend not to talk about them much – if at all. But some folks do.
Perhaps on Facebook or some other social media you have seen something called the Gratitude Challenge. This makes way more sense than the Ice Bucket Challenge. You spend like nine days announcing three things every day for which you are grateful. Most people get way beyond three things a day and even farther beyond a total of 27 things because they start understanding there is SO MUCH for which we can be – and should be – grateful, and that ALL of it – every single blessing – comes from God. Now, really, that’s not too surprising because we all know that counting our blessings is a much more positive experience than counting our burdens. See more about that in the post from 10/29/10. What’s interesting though, is that many times folks end up counting as a blessing something they originally considered a burden. Those burdens became blessings when they were accepted as gifts from God, not curses by God. Seeing a burden as a Gift really is a blessing! When I think about that I think about the greatest burden laid down EVER. THE LIFE OF JESUS ON THE CROSS.
No matter how often I go over those moments in my mind, no matter how deeply I study and try to understand his life, that sacrifice is to me exceptionally astonishing. Could I do that? I’ve already said a number of times I could not because God has not prepared me for that; it is not my gift to accept. The thing is, I don’t have to; it’s already done and I get to claim the completed sacrifice in his name. How did he do that? It was an act of exceptional humility – even more humility than laying aside all of the Glory of God to become a human being. His humility was based on his gratitude for the gift of redemption through God’s perfect Integrity, endless Mercy, and eternal Salvation. You need gratitude to understand God’s gifts, and you need humility to be the seed of that gratitude because gratitude is something you feel for a gift, not a possession. A gift is from someone else, and you can only be grateful for something that comes from outside of you. That requires humility because it means you don’t have it in you to give that to yourself.
And in this, God truly is not, in fact cannot be, outdone in generosity because generosity has its seed in unselfishness. We are selfish; we want this or that – often beyond our needs – and we want it on our terms. God is not in the least bit selfish. How could he be? What is there he lacks, or what is there he needs from us? Everything he created, he created for us to receive so we can better know him. “To know him is to love him,” and we do! IF we love him, we try to be like him. As the Apostle John said, 1 John 2:4-6 – Whoever says, “I have come to know him,” but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says, “I abide in him,” ought to walk just as he walked.
I will have more to say on this soon. There is a series being built up, and the first installment happened here. I’ll wrap this on up with these observations:
Gratitude is a prerogative made possible by being aware we cannot fill our emptiness with ourselves or by ourselves.
Gratitude and generosity are paired graces granted as benefits of the immense and excellent Gift of Free Will. They are like the bread-and-butter, or peanut-butter and jelly, or salt-and-pepper of the Good Gifts. One is always accompanied by and enhanced by the other. Each is desirable and pleasant on its own, but together they are an ambrosia more delectable to the soul than any of the mythical delights conceived in the mind of earthlings. Gratitude and generosity are gifts from God, and as such we can accept or reject them – in part or in full, in tandem or independently. When generosity and gratitude are properly yoked, directed, and balanced, all things proceed forward in unity and order. When this is not so, all is disarray and chaos. If love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage, then gratitude and generosity go together even better; there are far more similarities between gratitude and generosity than there are between a horse and a carriage.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Beloved! Pray for peace, pray for the defeat of those who defile peace, and become the home of that Peace which surpasses all understanding.
chick
1439AFC092614 – Duplex Grace
Read it online here, please.
Philippians 2:5 – Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus
NLT Philippians 2:5 Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had.
NJB Philippians 2:5 Make your own the mind of Christ Jesus:
1 John 2:5-6 – But whoever keeps his [Christ’s] word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to live [just] as he lived.
Something that operates as a duplex is something which is made up of two parts, especially two identical or equivalent parts.
Aloha pumehana ʻŌmea!
Today I want to share with you something that’s been bubbling around inside and now must burst out. It’s about the connection between gratitude and generosity and about exploring the connection between unselfishness and humility. When I read this verse from St. Paul’s letter to the Church at Philippi, it was one of those OH-NO/OH-WOW kind of moments. OH NO because that’s a lot to ask of earthlings like me – to have the same attitude about life as Christ has? Oh no, I don’t think I can do that! OH WOW because it is in and through Christ that this is not only possible, not only feasible, but also it is actually doable. True, it would take a remarkably dynamic individual to pull it off flawlessly, but it is something worth attempting because it opens us to the blessings which come from stretching our faith to the point of ridiculous generosity.
Let’s begin by taking a closer look at that quote from Philippians. In context, and looking at the structure, the prepositional phrase “in you” doesn’t mean “amongst you” but rather “in you,” that is in your own heart and soul. Walk the walk, talk the talk, live the life. It is the original and ultimate WWJD challenge. Jesus told his disciples they would do what he did and be able to do even more. (See John 14:12) That’s kind of the OH NO part; it’s asking for a lot of faith – the kind of faith that tosses mountains into the sea like a beach-ball from the end of the pier. Jesus says, though, that it only takes a tiny pinch of faith – about the size of a mustard seed – to do that. By those measurement standards, sometimes I feel that my own personal faith in Christ is somewhat less than the size of that mustard seed – more like something … sub-atomic!
There is a popular saying – often used when exhorting the Church to take up its rightful role as the steward of God’s Glorious Gifts – and many folks think it’s in the Bible; actually it’s one of those famous Bible verses that isn’t in the Bible. It goes like this: God will not be outdone in generosity. Now, the closest I can get to that is also in Philippians and in a very modern translation called The Message. Take a look at Philippians 4:19 there: You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Not quite the same, but close.
Another quote that often comes up in discussions of stewardship – especially tithing – is Malachi 3:10 – “Bring the entire tithe into the storehouse so that there may be food in my temple. Test me in this matter,” says the LORD who rules over all, “to see if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until there is no room for it all.” (NET Bible). Tithing is an Old Testament concept that’s been given new impetus in New Testament preaching so that it focuses on the Gifts we get from God: Time, Treasure, and Talent. Most people think tithing is only associated with “Treasure;” give us your money because it belongs to God. That’s a pretty narrow view! God has loaded-up all of us with so many gifts that we often overlook them. We take them for granted because they are granted/given to us in such abundance. We tend not to talk about them much – if at all. But some folks do.
Perhaps on Facebook or some other social media you have seen something called the Gratitude Challenge. This makes way more sense than the Ice Bucket Challenge. You spend like nine days announcing three things every day for which you are grateful. Most people get way beyond three things a day and even farther beyond a total of 27 things because they start understanding there is SO MUCH for which we can be – and should be – grateful, and that ALL of it – every single blessing – comes from God. Now, really, that’s not too surprising because we all know that counting our blessings is a much more positive experience than counting our burdens. See more about that in the post from 10/29/10. What’s interesting though, is that many times folks end up counting as a blessing something they originally considered a burden. Those burdens became blessings when they were accepted as gifts from God, not curses by God. Seeing a burden as a Gift really is a blessing! When I think about that I think about the greatest burden laid down EVER. THE LIFE OF JESUS ON THE CROSS.
No matter how often I go over those moments in my mind, no matter how deeply I study and try to understand his life, that sacrifice is to me exceptionally astonishing. Could I do that? I’ve already said a number of times I could not because God has not prepared me for that; it is not my gift to accept. The thing is, I don’t have to; it’s already done and I get to claim the completed sacrifice in his name. How did he do that? It was an act of exceptional humility – even more humility than laying aside all of the Glory of God to become a human being. His humility was based on his gratitude for the gift of redemption through God’s perfect Integrity, endless Mercy, and eternal Salvation. You need gratitude to understand God’s gifts, and you need humility to be the seed of that gratitude because gratitude is something you feel for a gift, not a possession. A gift is from someone else, and you can only be grateful for something that comes from outside of you. That requires humility because it means you don’t have it in you to give that to yourself.
And in this, God truly is not, in fact cannot be, outdone in generosity because generosity has its seed in unselfishness. We are selfish; we want this or that – often beyond our needs – and we want it on our terms. God is not in the least bit selfish. How could he be? What is there he lacks, or what is there he needs from us? Everything he created, he created for us to receive so we can better know him. “To know him is to love him,” and we do! IF we love him, we try to be like him. As the Apostle John said, 1 John 2:4-6 – Whoever says, “I have come to know him,” but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says, “I abide in him,” ought to walk just as he walked.
I will have more to say on this soon. There is a series being built up, and the first installment happened here. I’ll wrap this on up with these observations:
Gratitude is a prerogative made possible by being aware we cannot fill our emptiness with ourselves or by ourselves.
Gratitude and generosity are paired graces granted as benefits of the immense and excellent Gift of Free Will. They are like the bread-and-butter, or peanut-butter and jelly, or salt-and-pepper of the Good Gifts. One is always accompanied by and enhanced by the other. Each is desirable and pleasant on its own, but together they are an ambrosia more delectable to the soul than any of the mythical delights conceived in the mind of earthlings. Gratitude and generosity are gifts from God, and as such we can accept or reject them – in part or in full, in tandem or independently. When generosity and gratitude are properly yoked, directed, and balanced, all things proceed forward in unity and order. When this is not so, all is disarray and chaos. If love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage, then gratitude and generosity go together even better; there are far more similarities between gratitude and generosity than there are between a horse and a carriage.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Beloved! Pray for peace, pray for the defeat of those who defile peace, and become the home of that Peace which surpasses all understanding.
chick
About Chick Todd
American Roman Catholic reared as a "Baptiterian" in Denver Colorado. Now living on Kauaʻi. USAF Vet. Married for over 50 years. Scripture study has been my passion ever since my first "Bible talk" at age 6 in VBS.
