Lured by Desire
June 26 , 2005
Luke 16:1-13
James 1:12-16
I believe today’s message from James to be at the root of what it means to be a person of faith. I believe the proverbial meaning of today’s passage is key in determining what kind of lives we’re leading as the children of light. And, the consequences for living are life and death.
What’s so serious? It’s the slippery slope of desire. We have so many things in our hearts' desire. And, on the surface they seem innocent enough: I like her haircut, I’m going to get it that car is powerful I must have it. And, in and of themselves these desires are not anything, but it’s the guiding principle underneath that begins the death dealing or life affirming turn. Our actions have consequences in our living. And, those consequences are reflected into the community.
Since we’ve just gotten back from camp, I watched the teens struggle with this. And, truth be told the adults, we ache for this too, the desire to fit in. Remember, the book of James is always comparing the way of the world vs. the way of God. Today, he compels us to think about what’s death dealing or life giving about the desire to fit in?
Death Dealing |
Life Affirming |
Changes her physical appearance |
Assesses her gifts and who she is |
Clothes, diets, make-up |
Joins clubs and groups with those interests |
Ignores her own emotional needs |
Nurtures herself through success and joy |
Chooses activities based on others |
Surrounds herself with people who also |
Surrounded by people who want to fit |
want to share |
Unable to fill the desire no matter what |
Fills the desire with peace, joy, hope |
Begins to deaden the desire |
People might say this is over-reacting. But, I believe death dealing does begin with the harmless decisions. Harmless: I’m buying this outfit because it’s in right now. Death dealing: I’ll really impress X if I have this outfit. Life affirming: These are my colors and I’ll feel confident when I put on this outfit. Today’s message drives us underneath our desires and calls us into intention about what we are choosing in our living.
What the Steward did in today’s parable is not clear…The best, but unlikely scenario is that he subtracted his own commission in order to settle differences with his owner. So what do we learn from someone who falsifies records? We learn that we can use what we have for feeding a life spirit within ourselves, our loved ones, our community or we can deal death into those places.
The Scripture passage also reminds us that none of this is from God. God doesn’t tempt us. We tempt ourselves, we tempt one another. God is solely interested in our relationship with God and our understanding and witness to the word.
We spend a lot of time in our lives worrying, wondering, and fearing that empty place within ourselves. And, we have a hard time admitting, we create it. We create that death dealing, empty place within ourselves in order to fit in, to look together, to be educated, to have the perfect family…lots of reasons. And, God reminds us today. That no matter what it is we fill that empty place up with: shopping, drinking, drugging, schooling, the right clubs, neighborhoods, organizations…There’s only one God. And, none of those things will feed our living or nurture our spirits. There may be a temporary high from the right shoe/shirt combo, the next promotion, the invitation to the right party. But, it doesn’t feed that empty place within us. But God will. God does. God wants to.
Each one of us has been created in the image of God. We each have a small piece of the divine within us. And, I think our worldly goals have a tendency to starve that piece of the divine. We have a great ability to achieve. But, it’s not the same as living in a way that is life affirming. In loving our neighbors as ourselves, in loving one another we must love ourselves. This means nurturing and feeding that empty place with prayer, with silence, with the Word, with service, with dialogue and people with similar goals. This means nurturing and feeding that empty place with worship of something bigger than ourselves: bigger in loving, bigger in forgiveness, bigger in grace.
I believe it’s all a choice. And, I don’t believe we will always make choices that are life affirming. However, as the children of God, this day, let’s recommit to being mindful and intentional about those things in our lives that we desire. By any means necessary does not work for us. Let’s make sure we are asking the questions about what we desire and what it is doing to the divine within. You are each so incredibly beautiful and gifted. I am continually overwhelmed by your ability to rise to any occasion, I pray this day, you can see ourselves and that place within with God’s eyes. Let us pray.