What difference can I make?

Choosing priorities…

One of the most difficult things that faces any college student is choosing priorities.  Don’t believe me?  Well, let’s take a look and see.

On the surface, being in college seems easy and everyone has the same priority.  It’s easy to look and think that people are there to get an education.  Why else would the be in college?  And, for most of the students, they would say that it was a major priority for them to get an education.

However, is that their biggest priority?

Ask your friends what there’s are, and you might be surprised at the answers.  Some folks might say that they want a well-paying job, and college is a way to do it.  Others might say that they don’t want to live the same life that they grew up in, and college is a way to make a change.  Still, others might say that they have no idea because they’ve been told their entire life that they were going to school.

Personally, I know that when I was in school, I would tell people that an education was number one.  However, my actions would say something a little different.  In an effort to soften the blow, I will remind everyone that I did in fact graduate college, I have two masters degrees, and am a productive member of society.  Now, my actions would say that I was more interested in having fun.  I would go to parties, stay up all night, skip class, and join lots of clubs.  If extracurricular was a major, I would have gotten it.

I tell you that to say, some times we don’t even realize what our own priorities are until we start looking.  And how often are we taking that close look at our motives?  If your like me, when I was in college, not very often.

I always like looking at the Pharisees interactions with Jesus.  I’m sure that if you asked them, they would say that there number one priority was to make sure that understood and followed the law.  However, when you look at the interactions various Pharisees had with Jesus, it came across that they focused on trying to catch him.  Why else would they test him over and over.

The truth is Jesus gives us a lot of instruction on priorities.  We’ve talked many times about Jesus’ teaching on money, and not letting it rule ones life.  However, in the cast of social justice and in our conversations on the 21st Century Social Creed, we find that Jesus told us to help each other.  We need to focus on ways to help humanity, and keeping that as a priority will help to make wise decisions.

If you look at my earlier examples, you’ll see that most of them viewed education as a means to an end, and  in some respect, they are right.  The question we should ask ourselves is does that end match up with the priorities that Jesus taught us?

The Bible says what!?!

So on Tuesday night we talked about parts of the Bible that sometimes get “glossed over.”  There are lots of tales from the Bible that we’ve heard plenty of sermons on.  There are others that we’ve brought up in conversation.  Still there are those that we just would rather forget.

Perhaps it’s not even stories, maybe it is passages or ideas.  For instance, how many people are clamoring to hear a sermon on driving a tent-peg through someone’s head? (Judges 4:21)  Sure, it would get the attention of every teenager in the place, but can you imagine the children’s sermon that would go along with it?

Better yet, how about the Song of Solomon?  Is that a text that one might feel comfortable hearing, say, sitting next to your grandmother.  Oh yea, did I mention that Paul said not to get married?

The fact of the matter is that there are lots of stories in the Bible that are filled with murder, deceit, intrigue, and mystery.  Listen, soap operas had to get this stuff from some where.  Still, that doesn’t make us feel any more comfortable with it.

The truth is that for some of the passages are just like following God.  They’re not always easy and definitely challenge us.  However, when we stop, study, pray, and listen, we gain a better understanding.

Take Jael, for instance (Judges 4).  Sure, we can get hung up on the tent-peg, but there’s more to that story.  For starters, we know here name.  Let’s face it, in the Bible, if you’re a woman and we know your name it’s usually because your important.

Next, go back and read the entire chapter, and let’s see what happened.  Apparently, it was all the rage for the Israelites to quit listen/following God a regular basis.  Okay, I’m really downplaying that, they were doing evil.  This time, God sent in Hazor and there was some not good stuff began to happen.  The Israelites turn back to God and called for help.  So, Jael, by killing Sisera, she was doing the work of God and ultimately helped God’s chosen people.

My challenge to you is to go back to an re-read some of the tough passages and look at them with new eyes.  You’ll be surprised what you see.  It may challenge you, but you’ll have a deeper understanding.