One Heart
Acts 4:32-35
Did you know that the phrase “Life is Good” is a registered trademark? It is owned by brothers Bert and John Jacobs who created the smiling stick figure Jake who often appears with the phrase. Also, you might not know that “Life is Crap” is also a registered trademark. I’m not sure which is doing better with their marketing.
I have been doing a lot of thinking about the state of our world over the last few months. Recent news comments that some of the policies being put into place to help the flagging economy or assist those tricked by mortgage scams amounts to the United States becoming a socialist state have given me pause lately. My hunch is that simply calling someone a socialist puts dread in the hearts of many good Americans, particularly those old enough to remember the old socialist nations like the Soviet Union.
Most of us know something of the sting of disparaging names. When I was a youngster the term used was often “Marxist” or “communist.” On school grounds today I hear the taunt of choice is “gay.” This last week ABC News reported an eleven-year-old boy in Massachusetts chose to hang himself rather than endure the gay taunts at school any longer. It is distressing that even after all these years our nation can’t seem to get past name calling. I am happy to report that a Safe Schools bill is working its way through the Minnesota legislature right now that will hopefully make our schools safer for all students.
If our reading from Acts is accurate then the early church looked a lot like a socialist organization. I’m sure there were people who saw these early Christians trying to figure out how to live justly and equitably together who thought they were pretty weird. I mean, who sells a piece of land and gives the money to the church to help the needy? Crazy! Right?
Those who understand that they are “one heart” with others recognize that the needs of others are felt by us all. One would no more withhold from another one’s resources received as blessings from God than one would withhold those resources for one’s personal need. Time and time again, you as a congregation have demonstrated your commitment to this ideal.
Moxie Awards last week awarded the All God’s Children scholarship. It went to Donicia Soliz. Donicia is a student at St. Paul’s Harding High School with plans to attend Concordia University in the fall. She has been instrumental in her high school Gay-Straight Alliance. Probably none of us know Donicia but the sharing of your DUO resources during the month of November last year made it possible for her to continue her education.
On Easter Rev. Elder Diane Fisher shared the stories of people in Moldova and Eastern Europe who are struggling against political oppression to gain basic dignity and equality. None of us has probably ever been to Moldova, but being part of this community of faith and joining with other communities of faith around the globe mean we get to help make that part of the world a better place.
The Blessed and Blessing Others offering on Easter was truly a Miracle Offering. The generosity, trust and faithfulness so many of us have to step out and make a difference in this world through the life and ministry of All God’s Children is amazing. I know how scary it is to step out in faith financially in this economy, but you did it.
Most of you heard me announce last Sunday that I traveled to the Moose Lake facility to host the first MCC worship service in a prison setting there. I have been working on this for two years. This slide is not what the facility looks like but it is what the guys there feel like when they think of you. You are their ray of hope. They were so excited to be part of All God’s Children. They were full of questions, “Can we send offerings? Can we get the newsletter? Can we call ourselves the “All God’s Children” group?” I told them that our church was praying for them and was excited about our partnership in this endeavor and it was very emotional to them that somebody on the outside actually cared enough to pray for them.
Rev. Robyn and I hear similar things when we go to Pride Institute each Monday to lead the Spirituality group.
Earth Day is upon us – the day we remember that it takes all of us to take care of our planet and that if we don’t, it will be all of us who lose. We are just beginning to understand that blessing our planet with our care is imperative to our survival. We don’t own it. We benefit from its gifts.
I hear our text from Acts in all of these things. The basic concept of this text is this: we have been given the bounty of creation as a gift of grace. We are managers of this gift not owners. When we manage the gift well, it multiplies and others benefit. When we pretend it is ours and ours alone, it ceases to be a gift. That’s the power of one – transforming our world when a community recognizes one of its greatest gifts to give the world happens when we have one heart.
Sources:
www.homileticsonline.com Life is Good, April 2009.
http://lifeiscrap.shop.musictoday.com/Default.aspx
http://www.lifeisgood.com/about/
http://www.funtoosh.com/wall/space/earth_a_3.jpg