1 Timothy 6:6-19
This passage is rich in wisdom and I think almost every line is ripe for meditations, sermons and life lessons. What strikes me too is the word "contentment" right there in the very first line. Is this some kind of Zen Christianity we are hearing of? I read a very interesting book not too long ago about Jesus called The Gospel According to Biff. Fascinating and funny book. It speaks to me about the essence of this reading, the fundamentals of faith in God but not religions and the rules. It dares to look at alternatives and presents a picture of faith in a more rounded way than we might have been brought up with. It's almost as if the writer has had some eastern experience that gives wisdom and knows that rules and rubrics, power and prognostications are not what loving God and being a whole person are all about.
Where does that leave us? Basically, to look further into eastern religions / philosophies? Perhaps that wouldn't hurt any of us. I can only think that it would enrich our lives and our faith. But if we look at some rough tenets of eastern thought and shy away from materialism as a source of happiness, we will be better off. It embraces the body as a temple and a source of joy, not sin. I don't find these tenets at odds with Christianity at all. Of course if you look at the wealth and riches of the Catholic church or the way in which some televangelists live, you might get a different idea about what is important. It is not. Wealth does not equal happiness or fulfillment, ask Christina Onassis. Just know that money is not the root of all evil. As this passage points out, it is the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
As for our sexuality, being gay in many ways gives us a leg up so to speak about the spirituality of our bodies as temples. Generalizing, gays have a better appreciation and joy of sexuality that straight people do. There are fewer hangups and diversity certainly is a hallmark of being gay. Of course this too can be made ugly. As a friend of mine said last week, there is casual sex but no sex is casual. Amen.
Rather than continue I would suggest really reading this passage and thinking about it. If it spurs you on to looking into some information about Buddhism or some other eastern religion, so be it.
So love and enjoy life to the full and be thankful to God for all we are graced with.
Where does that leave us? Basically, to look further into eastern religions / philosophies? Perhaps that wouldn't hurt any of us. I can only think that it would enrich our lives and our faith. But if we look at some rough tenets of eastern thought and shy away from materialism as a source of happiness, we will be better off. It embraces the body as a temple and a source of joy, not sin. I don't find these tenets at odds with Christianity at all. Of course if you look at the wealth and riches of the Catholic church or the way in which some televangelists live, you might get a different idea about what is important. It is not. Wealth does not equal happiness or fulfillment, ask Christina Onassis. Just know that money is not the root of all evil. As this passage points out, it is the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
As for our sexuality, being gay in many ways gives us a leg up so to speak about the spirituality of our bodies as temples. Generalizing, gays have a better appreciation and joy of sexuality that straight people do. There are fewer hangups and diversity certainly is a hallmark of being gay. Of course this too can be made ugly. As a friend of mine said last week, there is casual sex but no sex is casual. Amen.
Rather than continue I would suggest really reading this passage and thinking about it. If it spurs you on to looking into some information about Buddhism or some other eastern religion, so be it.
So love and enjoy life to the full and be thankful to God for all we are graced with.
Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment;
for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it;
but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.
But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness.
Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you
to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
which he will bring about at the right time--he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share,
thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.
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