FAIR WEATHER FRIENDS

But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your ancestors…. Deuteronomy 8:18

 

Like me, you’ve probably had some friends in your life you thought would be there through thick and thin, only to discover later that they come up missing when you need them the most. Some people are just interested in what you can do for them, and returning favors isn’t their strong suit. I was most aware of this than when I was in the entertainment business. I met many wonderful people when I played percussion in bands on the road, and I remain friends with a few of them even today. But many of the other performers often wanted favors from me only to become better known themselves. I used to joke that the doors from the dressing rooms to many stages weren’t big enough to allow the “big heads” of some performers to pass through them on their way to stardom! These “fair weather friends” just didn’t cut it when it came to sincerity and dependability.

 

I’ve met some “fair weather Christians” as well. These folks seem to think God is in the business of “prospering” them on their terms. I don’t think that’s what God has in mind when He showers us with blessings. Like the saying goes, it rains on nice people and mean people and everyone in between, and sometimes what appears to be a “blessing” to one person may feel like a curse to another. God warned the Israelites not to “forget the Lord…, His commands, His laws and His decrees” (Deuteronomy 8:8) so that when there was an abundance of food and wealth and possessions, they would not say of themselves, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me” (Deuteronomy 8:17). Everything we have in this life comes from God: our possessions and our precious families and friends, as well as the earth and everything in it. We grieve the Lord when we take these things for granted. If we accept this basic premise of God’s goodness to us, we will be ready to sail through the rough seas that will inevitably come in this life.

 

Lord, stir gratitude in our souls for all You do for us. Amen

 

Meg Blaine Corrigan is the author of three books: Then I Am Strong: Moving From My Mother’s Daughter to God’s Child; Perils of a Polynesian Percussionist; and Saints With Slingshots: Daily Devotions for the Slightly Tarnished But Perpetually Forgiven Christian. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling from the University of New Mexico and has worked with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and war veterans.  Her books may be purchased through her website, www.MegCorrigan.com or from www.amazon.com .

GUARD MY MOUTH, LORD

Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3

 

It’s hard not to notice today that the discourse in our nation—and perhaps in many parts of the world—has taken a turn for the worse. The use of words to exchange thoughts and ideas has developed a razor-sharp edge with many people. We see this descent into uncomfortable if not hostile dialogue most keenly in politics, where our nation’s elected officials who all used to stand for many of the same values have become polarized to the point of losing site of the people they represent. The result has been an acceptance by many of bad behavior that tears at our national moral fiber and accepts only those truths and solutions that suit some people’s imagined needs. Add to that the stark fact that people with big checkbooks get a wider listening audience than those who are without financial backing, and we are heading down a slippery slope to nowhere good.

 

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” The Bible is filled with stories of “man’s inhumanity to man,” from the killing of Abel by his brother Cain to the execution of God’s Son on a cross at Calgary. Jesus preached, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice: they shall have their fill (Matthew 5:6). The word “justice” is most often translated as “righteousness,” even thought the meaning of the original Greek word is clear. When I consider my responsibility as just one person against a mountain of unfairness, I conclude that I must pick one or two small areas of human suffering and use the tools and talents I have to make the world a little bit better place while I am still here. For me, those areas fall along a continuum that starts with bullying, travels through harassment, on to physical and sexual abuse, rape, and eventually murder. No, I can’t change all that. But I can choose to resist injustice, with all my mind, body, heart and strength, knowing that God is by my side. And the first place I can begin, each day, is with the words that come out of my mouth.

 

Jesus, You promise, if I seek justice, I will be satisfied. Give my tongue the power of life. Amen

Meg Blaine Corrigan is the author of three books: Then I Am Strong: Moving From My Mother’s Daughter to God’s Child; Perils of a Polynesian Percussionist; and Saints With Slingshots: Daily Devotions for the Slightly Tarnished But Perpetually Forgiven Christian. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling from the University of New Mexico and has worked with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and war veterans.  Her books may be purchased through her website, www.MegCorrigan.com or from www.amazon.com .

 

SOUP STONE

Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat. For this is what the Lord says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’” Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord. 2 Kings 4:43-44

 

A favorite song of mine called “Soup Stone,” written by Shel Silverstein, tells about a poor woman who made soup using a magical stone, some water, a few potatoes, and nothing else. “And I swear we could taste the chicken and tomatoes,” the song goes, “And the noodles and the marrow bone. But it really wasn’t nothing but some water and potatoes, And the wonderful wonderful soup stone.” The song evolved out of a legend that is dear to many cultures—French, Hungarian, Russian to name a few—about some travelers who came to a town asking for food. No one would share their meager supplies, so the travelers built a fire, hung a pot, filled it with water, and plunked in a strange looking stone. They sat down and waited for the curious villagers to ask what they were making. “We’re making stone soup,” they said, “but it needs a little something.” Each villager in turn brought a bit of onion or carrot, some seasoning, or a scrap of meat. Before long, the pot was brimming with a delicious concoction. The stone was removed, and the travelers shared their magical soup with everyone present.

 

The moral of the story is that when people share, everyone benefits. Take a mental leap to today’s Scripture, where the prophet Elisha promises that all the people would eat from what was shared, even though it didn’t look like nearly enough food. And Jesus fed several thousand men, not counting women and children, from just a bit of bread and fish (Matthew 15, Mark 8, and John 6). These stories are accepted by most believers as miracles, but it is also quite feasible that they are stories of the generosity of those present. Perhaps at least some of the food was provided by many of the people present.

 

God, through His great mercy, wants to draw all people to Himself, to forgive them, transform them, and commission them to love one another, sharing our bounty with those who have less.

 

Giving God, stir us to make life easier for others in Your love. Amen

EVERYBODY LOVES BABIES!

“I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known My ways.’ So I declared on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’” Hebrews 3:10-11/Psalm 95:11

 

On the website, quora.com, I confirmed some of the reasons why babies are so lovable: “People love their babies because they are biologically programmed to do so….(T)heir babies are the embodiment of themselves and an external, cuddlable, trusting, wide-eyed product of their affection for each other, but mainly because of…the Great Biological Con-Trick…. we are evolutionarily programmed to (help) (maximize) the survival chances of small creatures when they are young, helpless and utterly dependent.” Well, okay, so God makes babies cute so we will take care of them and protect them until they grow up and become…less cute?

 

I gained ten pounds with each of my children, which was not their fault. I wasn’t able to bear children of my own, so I have collected other people’s children: I raised one step-daughter from a young age and adopted a second daughter as a teenager. Then I married my second husband who has two adult daughters. These ladies bore us a total of ten grandchildren, and now one great-grandchild. So I’ve had fun with lots of babies in my life time! They are adorable and cuddly and innocent and they look at you like you hung the moon. I would move mountains for any of these kids and grandkids, even if I didn’t bring them into the world.

 

In today’s Scripture passage, Paul quotes the psalmist about God getting angry with the Israelites, saying He would never let them “enter His rest.” The Old Testament God was scary. The people were not responding. So He sent His Son, not as a big, powerful warrior or ruler, but as a tiny Baby so that the people could love Him and not fear Him. As He grew and began His all-too-short ministry of peace and love, many people were still afraid of Him. But those who chose to believe in Him found Him to be “a high priest…who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Christ coming as a Baby changed everything. Babies can do that!

 

Lord, we thank You for allowing us to know Your Son as a real Person. Amen

 

Meg Blaine Corrigan is the author of three books: Then I Am Strong: Moving From My Mother’s Daughter to God’s Child; Perils of a Polynesian Percussionist; and Saints With Slingshots: Daily Devotions for the Slightly Tarnished But Perpetually Forgiven Christian. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling from the University of New Mexico and has worked with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and war veterans.  Her books may be purchased through her website, www.MegCorrigan.com or from www.amazon.com .