As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, 39and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."
The Widow's Offering
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."
A couple of months ago, I attended my first Seahawk game at Quest Field. I’ve sporadically attended professional sporting events but this was other-worldly. I felt like I was at the modern gladiator games and I guess I was. First, the sheer volume approaching the stadium. The 12th Man is for real. Second was out of 50,000 plus fans were named Hasselback or so their green jerseys said. People were amped up feeling a part of something bigger than their individual life. Third was the non-stop stimulation. Advertisements were pasted every place in the stadium, close-ups on the big screen, the lovely Sea Gals, hip music over the PA, and that doesn’t even include when the Bears and Seahawks were actually playing. Overall, it was a great time and quite the experience. I understand why people buy season tickets.
Is it too much to call it a religion for the devoted followers? Christianity Today had an interesting article on football. “Sports may lead us more fully into an experience of health, an experience of community, play, and joy. It can be an agent that binds us together as family and friends. But, football is not the final good. The spirit of truth must trump the spirit of the age. And truth, be told, in our age our souls settle for way too little; sports, cell phones, vacations, careers, computers, entertainment. These tantalize with promise of plenty, distract us, yet leave us hungry for more.”
The “Hurt Locker” is a gripping, emotionally-draining movie set in the Iraq War. The subject is the heroism of the men who defuse improvised explosive devices. Over and over, Staff Sergeant William James, following a tip-off walks into a bomb site in a heavy protective suit. He looks like a spaceman, under the hot sun, slowly walking through trash-filled streets. You feel like your head is going to explode as the locals look on from doorways and windows. Which of them is hostile, friendly, or just curious? When James finally finds the explosive device buried in the road, he must somehow sort out the tangled wires and flimsy trigger device. Time and again, Sergeant James defuses another IED. He is just another physically ordinary American serviceman whose greatest gifts are within, his guts and concentration. He never steps away from danger. You might say he is drawn to it, even needs it.
After all the suspense, James is back home with his companion and their child. He cleans the gutters, eats at Jack-N-Box, shops at the store, and then tells his son, “As you get older there are few things you really love. For me, I can only think of one.”
Psychologist Frank Farley calls them Type-T or thrill-seeking personalities. These are people who are drawn to high-risk situations and behaviors. They are easily bored and crave constant stimulation. They prefer much variety, novelty, uncertainty. Most self-help books push risk-taking. But, psychological research identifies compulsive risk-taking as a danger sign. An extreme example is extreme sports like base-jumping and mountain-climbing. Faith in God may confuse the issue. The line between, “Thou shalt not be afraid!” and “Thou shalt not be ridiculous” is often a fine line and not easily located. John Ortberg writes, “Sometimes, especially when life is boring or unfulfilling, or I sense it is passing me by- I can impatiently demand that all my problems be solved at once by making a rash decision that is not in line with God’s call for my life. That unduly impacts family, health, and relationships. It’s possible to make courageous, high-risk decisions that are stupid.”
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