Icing on the Steak

Luke 17:5-10


Once upon a time, I had a Golden Retriever. She was a ninety pound lap dog. She was more auburn in color than golden. Because we lived in Nashville at the time, we named her Reba. The name had a nice ring to it in that country music city – Reba Meier, with no “McIn--” at the front.

Reba was born to retrieve. It didn’t matter what you threw, she’d go fetch it if you were willing to throw it. My arm would tire out before her energy to retrieve ever wore out.

Before breakfast, I’d say to her, “Paper?” Her eyes would get big and she’d run to the front door, doing a tap dance on the hardwood floors until I got there. I’d open the door and say, “Fetch.” She’d bolt across the yard, skid to a stop at the side of the road, and pick up the newspaper. Grinning, she’d deliver it to my waiting hand.

I’d always ruffle her ears and give her a big hug, saying, “Good girl, Reba.” Once in a while, I’d give her a milkbone. She loved that.

Fotograf: Andreas Dobler


Sunday afternoons, I’d be sitting on the living room couch, watching the Titans battle their opponents. I’d say to her, “Toy?” She’d dash to her basket of goodies in the kitchen and bring back a raggedy pull-rope made of tightly wound cloths. Holding it until I grabbed one end, she’d try to pull me off the couch in a game of tug-of-war. She was born to retrieve, and to entertain, and she couldn’t get enough of it.

St. Paul tells us (Eph. 2:10) that “we are [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” We have been created for good works and we should walk in them.

The world teaches us to expect rewards for doing the things we are expected to do. In the church, we start young. We give perfect attendance pins to children for coming to Sunday school every week, even though it’s expected. If they get sick, in consideration for not bringing their germs to infect anyone else, we take away their milkbone. Nice move.

The accolades of the world, like honor, praise, fame, money, even a word of “thanks,” are nice milkbones. But they will never fill our deepest hunger.

Like a Golden or Labrador is created to retrieve, we are created in Christ Jesus to love. This is what is expected of us. When love and service become our reward in and of themselves, we will know God lives within us, and we will be filled.

At the end of each day, when we lie in front of the fireplace, exhausted from a day of serving the Master, we will have our reward. God is with us. We can say, “We are unworthy servants, doing only what is expected. And thank you, Lord, for giving us such pleasing and rewarding work.”

And every once in a while, if a milkbone is thrown in, that will be icing on the steak.


Peace - PWM

Filling the Chasm of Discontent

Luke 16:19-31 The Rich Man and Lazarus

John Heller wrote the classic book called Catch-22. While attending a party hosted by a billionaire friend, someone made the comment that the billionaire made more money in a single day of hedge fund trading than Heller had ever earned from his book, Heller replied: “Yes, but I have something that he will never have: enough.”  (Scott Bader-Saye, sermon on Luke 16 in Christian Century, Sept. 21, 2010, p. 20.)

People who never have enough find little peace or joy or love in their lives. The rich never have enough to make them content. They fear thieves plotting to take their stuff. They fear they won’t have enough money to live in comfort till they die. And they know they’ll live for at least another twenty years. Trusting in money is like standing on quicksand. It’s always draining away from you.

The New York Times ran an article last week called “The Angry Rich” by Paul Krugman. Those who make more than $500,000 a year are the ones who are complaining the most and the loudest about letting the Bush tax cuts end. They will be affected the most. A half million dollars a year is not enough for them.

Some people see this parable as being about heaven and hell when we die. If that’s the case, then all Jesus will have to do when he returns is to analyze your checkbook when you die. He'll calculate how much you spent on yourself and how much you gave to the poor during your lifetime. Then he’ll know what bus to assign you. That wouldn’t be good news for most of us today. 

The Love of Money 

I think the story helps us see what the love of money does to a person. What separates the rich from the poor is the level of their discontent or unpeace. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor. They shall inherit the kingdom of God.” The poor don’t need a bank account to last the next ten years to make them content. They are content if they know they have enough food for today, and maybe tomorrow.

People today aren't convinced when Jesus says, "Your interpretation of Moses is all messed up.” (my paraphrase, :) They don’t believe someone who has come back from the dead when he says true abundance is found in helping others.

The rich protect their money. The poor protect each other. Somewhere between the two is a chasm that cannot be crossed. Except Jesus said, “With God all things are possible.” There is a way across that chasm. That way is with Jesus Christ, risen, living and breathing in your heart and mind.

Jesus is Enough

Peace and contentment in this life will only come when Jesus is enough. This is the full expression of faith – when Jesus is enough for us. When he is ruling in our hearts, we will have peace. He carries us across that chasm called discontentment. He is the bridge from a life of trust in material things to a life of compassion for our neighbors who suffer. It’s a chasm we cannot cross on our own power.

Jesus showed God’s incredible love for us. Jesus is enough because love is enough. When you know you are loved, you can do without just about anything. You can be content with very little. It’s not easy to understand how knowing you are loved by the God who made you is enough. But if you trust what Jesus taught, then you will follow him by caring and supporting those who are sick and who suffer. In this, you will be carried across the chasm and find peace.

Peace - PWM