Poverty, or Simplicity?

It has often been said that people are poor because they are lazy, but it might also be said that many people work too hard because they will not be satisfied with having enough. It must also be admitted that there is the injustice that offers too little compensation for some who work as hard as they are able, or worse, sometimes no work is offered suitable to one's talents.

In some sense, an adequate supply of goods, with enough to share, is abundance. If you have enough for tomorrow, and real prospects for being able to meet your future needs, without going in want or begging, then what reason do you have for being dissatisfied?

Our Lord told us to pray, "Give us this day, our daily bread," and not to worry about what we would have to eat or to wear. He promised that our Father in Heaven would provide and care for us. Is it not a lack of faith to strive to gather wealth, saving it for a "rainy day," or putting it aside for our children?

Granted, having much uncertainty about having enough to eat can be stressful, as can being shabby and uncomfortable in inclement weather. But the Lord asserted that a workman should be allowed his wages, sufficient for his upkeep. Of course, this implies that we should all have some skills, or knowledge to share, with which to earn our necessities, so as not to be a heavy burden, or have to live by charity. It gives us a sense of self-worth to be making a valuable contribution to society, as measured by the fulfillment of our needs.

But there is the crux of our issue, our discontent, in as much as we have eyes to see the accumulated wealth of others. Too often, we look at others and assume that their lifestyle of greater wealth gives them greater happiness than we enjoy. We wonder why they have more material goods and leisure time. Is it because they are more valued that they are more abundantly recompensed for their labor? Or is it because of their lack of faith, or their greed, that they choose to work harder and more than necessary, in order to pile up great stores for an uncertain future? If so, then the appearance that they have more enjoyment is an illusion.

It is good to be greatly valued, as it improves one's opportunity to share and do good for society. But to merely continue to grow and expand, adding ever more to storage, so that your wealth is hoarded up only for its own multiplication, is to lack faith in God's promises for tomorrow. That is why some people with too much money remain unhappy, because they don't have any idea how to use it for the betterment of society. They have no vision of a better tomorrow, where God may be best served for the long view of history.

It is part of our purpose, here on this earth, to help our society to evolve toward a closer resemblance of the Kingdom of God. We can aid in its development toward a future in which our descendants may live happier lives, knowing that they are blessed. We do not achieve this by hoarding wealth for their future enjoyment, but rather by working for social justice, and developing the future prospects and sustainability of our world.

If we believe in a better future in Heaven, then we should work to extend the human reach into the heavens. It is not just a pun, or a play on words. The prospects for the sustainability of our Earth will be greatly improved by expanding into the next frontier. And the heavens hold enough wealth and opportunities to create a climate of economic abundance for our future growth. Perhaps the ancient references to Heaven were indeed pointing us in the right direction, even though they did not know what it meant.

If we think we may best serve by improving social justice, then let us seek to work by political means to create a more caring and fair way of life. We need a world in which every person can find a happy occupation that fits his/her talents and abilities. Not everyone can build a factory that employs a thousand people. But we all have the capacity to care for someone else, or to teach and inspire others in some way.

And no one should feel undervalued because another is given too much. It can not be true that any person's work is worth a thousand times more than that of a housekeeper, or a teacher, or a nurse. Have they not chosen what they wish to do? Job satisfaction is its own reward. Some status, rank, or fame, and a few privileges perhaps, can be added to a more moderate salary. Those can be moral incentives; encouragement to contribute as much as one is able.

If society wishes to acknowledge a greater value for some occupations than others, so as to encourage the greater efforts required to engage in them, let us create a scale of ranks. It can have perhaps 20 to 30 levels, and assign compensation and perquisites as necessary. And we should acknowledge that the lowest are not the most menial, nor the highest the most interesting or intellectual. Each rank can earn one more factor, an additional "daily wage" above the one below it, so that the least will be encouraged to try to advance. But no one should be insulted and  embittered by the unbridgeable gap between their own place and the top "important" occupations.

But we must continue to find ways to pool our resources and efforts toward goals greater than what one person or group can accomplish. Governments and corporations must be allowed, even encouraged to "Dream Big" so that the world can evolve toward a greater future. If there must be an accumulation of wealth in order to initiate these big projects, let us examine how these ideas may benefit us, and authorize their pursuit. For such purposes, benefitting us all, we can gather "social wealth."

But for an individual, there should be no incentive for greed. Rather, let ambition seek to make a greater contribution, and reap the rewards thereof. Let no one, however, suffer the pains and shame of poverty, if they are willing to make a fair effort to work as they are able. We must find them a suitable occupation, or make available some way for them to help when and however they can. And we must grant them such wages as will be sufficient for their needs with enough to share, so that they may feel the dignity of being a valued citizen. Our society should be capable of doing that much for everyone.

And no one, who thinks that they "work hard for the money" they receive, should begrudge our society the opportunity to be charitable to those who would otherwise be poor. To be stingy toward those less able, or less fortunate, is an antisocial attitude coming from greed.

The "Signs" of Jesus' Authority:

These are the "Signs" and "Miracles" that Jesus performed to demonstrate his authority to speak for God and forgive sins:
1. changing water into wine.
2. expelling demons.
3. a great catch of fish.
4. curing deafness.
5. curing blindness.
6. healing crippled bodies.
7. healing an issue of blood.
8. curing epilepsy.
9. healing a leper.
10. knowing secrets of the heart.
11. feeding the multitude.
12. transfiguring his appearance.
13. stilling a storm.
14. walking on water.
15. raising the dead.
16. cursing the fig tree.
17. repairing a detached ear.
18. suffering crucifixion.
19. resurrection as He promised.
20. imparting the Holy Spirit.
21. ascending into Heaven.

Why were these particular signs considered relevant and/or convincing?
A. Only God is able to heal such impossible cases of suffering.
B. Only the Creator would have the power to ignore the laws of nature.
C. Only God can solve the problem of sin and guilty consciences.
D. Only God can overcome the powers of darkness and evil.
E. As God's Word, his speech can effect miracles & change reality.

The problem:
1. The perceived problem was not suffering, darkness and evil. It was political oppression and vassalage to the Roman Empire.
2. The Law was to be the vehicle of Israel's unique identity, and not something to be revised and shared with the gentiles.
3. The Messiah was supposed to be a leader who would turn Israel into a leader among the nations, and establish its people's freedom forever, as the first of a dynasty of holy kings.
4. The Messiah was not supposed to be a divine figure, neither a Son of God, nor an avatar of God, and certainly not the God of Moses in the second person of a Trinity.
5. "My kingdom is not of this world" was NOT what they wanted to hear.

Once the shift in the message became clear, the Jews rejected it as irrelevant, and a hijacking of the whole expectation of the promised Messiah and his kingdom. Indeed, the claim to divinity was an intolerable blasphemy. Spirit and flesh do not "mate" to produce semi-divine heroes! Preposterous! Only the pagan gentiles believe that foolishness.

The way the Jews saw it, then and now, the Christians got it all wrong. But from the Christians' point of view, the Jews were not convinced because they began from an attitude of doubt.

The Jews asked for a sign, so they could parse and discredit it. They thought He was mad, not quite in step with reality, and misleading the people with his strange stories about God. So Jesus refused to work a "miracle" for them, since they would still not be convinced, and asked them to look at Him with eyes of expectation and faith.

Only one sign, or miracle, would He offer them, and they would have to wait for it: the sign of Jonah, his resurrection from the grave. In the early hours of the the morning after the Sabbath ended, the stone rolled away from his tomb, and the transfigured Christ emerged, to the total amazement of the guards who had been posted there. Hours later, He appeared to his followers to show them He was alive again, and give them a few last words of encouragement and teachings. Then, a few weeks later, after appearing to a great many people, He ascended, in full view of a gathered crowd, into Heaven. He had told his disciples to wait for Shavuot, for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in power, before beginning the Great Commission to spread the Gospel around the world. And so they did. You can read the whole story in the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles.

These signs were "miracles" in the sense that they caused faith among the witnesses, since the emergence of faith is itself a miracle. The resurrection and appearances of Jesus gave his disciples and followers such strong faith that they were willing to face derision, being cast out of their synagogues, libel, getting chased from town to town, and even stoned to death, or arrested, thrown into prison and eventual crucifixion. They knew in their hearts that Jesus' resurrection meant that they would be saved if they were martyred for his sake, while doing as He asked. They KNEW that Jesus is the Living God.

The Essential Gospel: Who is Jesus?

"Who do you say the Son of Man is?"
You are the Messiah,
the Beloved Son of God,
the King with God's own heart.

He is the Word of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity:
The Father: YHWH, Adonai
The Son: Yeshua, Jesus
The Holy Spirit: Ruach ha-Kodesh
Three distinct persons, eternal, of one unified immaterial essence, bound in love for one another. Architect, Creator and Animator of Life, Commander of the Cosmos, Loving King of Humanity, Voice of Grace and Guidance. One God, known by the three ways in which He meets us when we seek Him, He is always calling for us to come to Him and be blessed.

1. Who is Jesus?
- the son of a virgin,
- a descendant of King David,
- a poor man from a small town,
- a teacher who reinterprets,
- the promised Messiah,
- the Son of Man,
- God's beloved Son.
2. What did he teach?
- The Kingdom of God is at hand,
- concern for the marginalized,
- love & compassion, not legalism,
- sharing, not hoarding,
- offering forgiveness for sin,
- love everyone, even your enemies,
- non-violence, not retaliation.
3. The wonderful signs:
- healing cripples,
- casting out demons,
- feeding the multitude,
- restoring sight,
- cleansing lepers,
- forgiving sinners,
- raising the dead.
4. The path of prophecy:
- castigating the rich & powerful,
- preaching repentance,
- calling gentiles to join,
- the leader must be a servant of all,
- warning his disciples of rejection,
- lamenting the coming punishment,
- foretelling his suffering and death.
5. His passion & cross:
- chased out, from town to town,
- libelled and insulted,
- the Messiah as Suffering Servant,
- making a new covenant,
- voluntary sacrifice for Passover,
- Lamb of God atones for our sins,
- he died a criminal's death.
6. Apotheosis:
- resurrection on the third day,
- appearing to the disciples, et al.
- wearing a transformed body,
- teaching the mysteries of Heaven,
- devaluing attachments to earth,
- commission to spread the news,
- ascension into Heaven.
7. The message of salvation:
- Jesus offers forgiveness,
- repentance is reconciliation,
- following Him is obedience,
- everyone is welcome to follow,
- Christ paid our penalty for sin,
- whoever believes has eternal life,
- gives the Holy Spirit to guide us.
8. We become children of God.
- born again by the Holy Spirit,
- understanding comes when ready,
- the Kingdom is within you,
- self-control makes us human,
- dualism is an illusion of conflict,
- gender roles are false limitations,
- we are the real body of Christ,
- leaders become servants.

This is who I say that Jesus is.
Christ is Lord!
Because He is risen, as he promised!