The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States "Integrity—inner as well as outer" for Friday, 16 September 2016
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Scripture: Exodus 20:(A: vii) 15 (18) All the people experienced the thunder, the lightning, the sound of the shofar, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled. Standing at a distance, 16 (19) they said to Moshe, “You, speak with us; and we will listen. But don’t let God speak with us, or we will die.” 17 (20) Moshe answered the people, “Don’t be afraid, because God has come only to test you and make you fear him, so that you won’t commit sins.” 18 (21) So the people stood at a distance, but Moshe approached the thick darkness where God was.
The last three commandments were about various aspects of living with integrity. “Don’t steal” was perhaps the most universal commandment—no society can function if its members steal from each other. “Don’t testify falsely” was also vital—without it, justice became impossible. The final commandment anticipated what Jesus would do more broadly in the Sermon on the Mount. It spoke not to outward actions, but to the thoughts and wishes of the heart, and said God’s people were to control those, too. Moses said God aimed to create holy awe “so that [the people] don’t sin.”
• No respectable person would steal or testify falsely, right? No—but sometimes respectable people will drag out the process of paying a debt they owe, or sign off on an exaggerated expense report. Find some time today to spend in quiet prayer, and ask God to help you identify the ways in which you already live with integrity, and any areas where you might ask God to strengthen you to do better.
(A: Maftir) 19 (22) Adonai said to Moshe, “Here is what you are to say to the people of Isra’el: ‘You yourselves have seen that I spoke with you from heaven. 20 (23) You are not to make with me gods of silver, nor are you to make gods of gold for yourselves. (S: Maftir) 21 (24) For me you need make only an altar of earth; on it you will sacrifice your burnt offerings, peace offerings, sheep, goats and cattle. In every place where I cause my name to be mentioned, I will come to you and bless you.
Reflection Questions:The last three commandments were about various aspects of living with integrity. “Don’t steal” was perhaps the most universal commandment—no society can function if its members steal from each other. “Don’t testify falsely” was also vital—without it, justice became impossible. The final commandment anticipated what Jesus would do more broadly in the Sermon on the Mount. It spoke not to outward actions, but to the thoughts and wishes of the heart, and said God’s people were to control those, too. Moses said God aimed to create holy awe “so that [the people] don’t sin.”
• No respectable person would steal or testify falsely, right? No—but sometimes respectable people will drag out the process of paying a debt they owe, or sign off on an exaggerated expense report. Find some time today to spend in quiet prayer, and ask God to help you identify the ways in which you already live with integrity, and any areas where you might ask God to strengthen you to do better.
• The apostle Paul, who had been a rigid, rigorous Pharisee before he met Jesus, said the tenth commandment was the one that made him realize that he, too, was a sinner (cf. Romans 7:7-12). It’s not a sin to admire nice things someone else has. But have you ever found that admiration turning into an almost obsessive wish that you could have something (or someone) who belongs to someone else? In what ways has God helped you learn to pull away from that kind of excessive, destructive wanting?
Insights from Ginger Rothhaas
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, shape me more and more into a person of integrity, whose actions and words are honest and straightforward. Teach me how to guard my thoughts and my wishes, so that they will not lead me away from your path. Amen.
-------Insights from Ginger Rothhaas
Ginger Rothhaas is a seminary student at Saint Paul School of Theology and is serving in Congregational Care at The Church of the Resurrection.The last few commandments of the ten are instructions to the Israelites to not steal, not gossip, and not desire or take what someone else owns. These were instructions God delivered to Moses providing directives for how to live in community almost 4,000 years ago, yet they are still necessary today for us to live in peace.
All of us find challenge in these do-not’s, sometimes in a less obvious form. We may be stealing ideas, praise, credit, attention, or time from another person. We often find ourselves with opportunities to gossip, stretch the truth, or confuse the facts in talking about others. And coveting feels forced upon us, with a multi-billion dollar advertising industry reminding us of things, looks, and feelings we don’t have, but should want. When we think broadly about what these three commandments are asking of us, it seems almost impossible to obey.
I think one of our challenges with these commandments may be rooted in a scarcity mentality that repeatedly tells us there isn’t enough to go around. We feel the urge to steal an idea to sound smarter, take someone else down so we can rise, or obsess in wanting a new and improved version of some thing or some one.
So how do we combat a scarcity mentality? Moses gives us the answer: “…make sure you are always in awe of God…”
To shut down the craving for more, to release comparing ourselves to others, to quiet our desire for upgrades, we must be in awe of God and what we have already been given. Awe for God’s creation all around us. Appreciation of the people in our lives, just as they are. Gratitude for what we have in this moment.
Let’s practice this together and pray today: God, thank you. I am in awe.
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