What if . . .? June 23
Today’s Readings - AM Psalm 97, 99, [100]; Num. 16:20-35; Rom. 4:1-12; Matt. 19:23-30
There were times when my children were small that I wish I had recorded some of our conversations. They were masters at “what-iffing” a situation. No matter what the request, if they didn’t like my first answer the come back was always, “But, what if . . .?” For example, if I told them they couldn’t have ice cream before bedtime they’d reply, “What if we promise never to ask for ice cream before bed ever again,” or “What if we clean our rooms better than we ever have?” Sometimes their proposed scenarios were so creative I would give in just to reward their creativity. I knew better than to believe their rooms would get cleaned!
I had an ethics professor in seminary who taught us that “what-iffing” was never helpful, one leads to another, and then another. It seems to be the quickest way to get lost chasing something that in most circumstances can’t be anticipated or expected. In a sense it’s a feeble comeback to an answer we’d rather not have received. The disciples were well practiced at “what-iffing.” But then again so are we. So often, Jesus’ answer is not the answer someone might want to hear. “What do you mean, a rich man can’t get into heaven? What if I have money but I’m generous with it,” or “What if I worked hard for my money and I’m just very careful with it?”
In today’s gospel, when the disciples hear Jesus say that it will be impossible for a rich man to enter heaven, they respond by saying, ”’Then who can be saved?’ More often than not the answer to these questions lies in the reality that nothing is possible without God: “For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.” The point is not that we need to die penniless. What we need to let go of and give to God are not so much those materiel items we care about as those things that in the end are the most valuable of all our possessions, the ones we hold closest to our heart: our love, our trust, our faith as well as our need for control along with our belief that we can do all things well by ourselves and for ourselves. Don’t get me wrong, God does intend for us to be generous with the gifts we’ve received but it’s not the possession of wealth that’s the issue, rather it’s our attitude surrounding our use of that wealth.
I know I stay on the verge of frustration most days because I haven’t accomplished what I set out to finish, or I finish a task only to wish that I had done something a bit better or said something more carefully or acted more thoughtfully. How many times do I begin by asking God to be present, asking God to help me listen and to guide me? I’m embarrassed to admit not often. Instead, I charge into a task, without pausing to say a silent prayer. That small pause can often be all I need. We live flying by our wits and a gasp, rushing through our day rarely remembering God is closer than our breath, willing and able to be present. What-iffing may be one solution but “what if” asking for God’s guidance is a better approach?
Faithfully,
Sally+
Questions for Reflection and Challenge – What if we began each day with a silent prayer asking for God’s presence as we make our decisions, as we consider our interactions with co-workers or family? What difference do you think it would make?