(Wednesday)
Our car door wasn’t completely closed Monday morning; that was unusual. The glove box and console were open, and all the contents were spilled out across the front seat; that was just wrong. In that moment, clarity arrived: our car was broken into during the night. We are pretty certain it was locked, but I learned from the Police Department that so were the other nine cars on our block who were entered under the cover of darkness.
After chatting with our neighbor across the street, we learned that his locked car was also accessed by the same person. He knew this because he had both episodes recorded by his security camera. Three or four other neighbors also have video footage of the break-ins. We are hoping the live action will be helpful in getting the thefts stopped.
We were fortunate that nothing was broken or damaged, and the only thing of value we ever keep in our car is a tiny bit of loose change. (Although if you have tried to order fast food at a drive-through window lately, you’d think loose change is gold!) Had we kept something like an extra house key or a garage door opener inside the car, we might be telling a different story today. That could have been a scary story – not for us necessarily. Zeke is a large and protective dog with a deep and menacing growl. We’ve never fully put him to the test, but I’m pretty sure no stranger is getting inside the house without being challenged.
I wonder about the person who was roaming our neighborhood this past week. Maybe he has a new baby and really needed some diapers. Perhaps he was just very hungry and felt there were no other options but to take a bit of unprotected change. Yes, I know that’s unlikely. There were enough nickels and dimes in my car alone to buy a decent hamburger. There would have been no need to hit up the others. I suppose the most probable scenario is a bit of greed. That’s sad to think about. Sad for many reasons such as the fact that was my money and I worked hard for it! A greater reason is less selfish on my part.
A desire for more than we need is a dictionary definition of greed. From a Christian perspective, greed is a bit more complicated. Since God’s desire is for us to live a generous life of peace, wanting to take from others goes against God’s purposes. We may name it sin, but that may also be a little on the simplistic side. Greed in a biblical sense is more about an active and intentional act of responding to temptation. John Ritenbaugh wrote that greed is “an arrogant assumption that others and things exist for one’s own benefit.”
Part of me doubts my thief in the night contemplated anything other than getting what he could with as little effort as possible. A bigger part of me prays he has personal access to information about Jesus and eventually develops the integrity to work in the light rather than in the dark. May he live into Jesus’ challenge recorded in the Gospel of John: “As long as you have the light, believe in the light so that you might become people whose lives are determined by the light.” May the change in his pocket weigh him down enough that he seeks out a change in his heart.
Determined by the Light,
Pastor Beth
PRAYER FROM PSALM 105
Liberating God, we seek your journey. With parted waters, set us free. With cloud and fire, guide us. With gushing waters, quench our thirst. With food from heaven, feed us. Draw us out with joy and singing, that we might know your ways. Amen. (from ministrymatters.com)
KEY VERSES FROM TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 105 – Because God remembered his holy promise to Abraham his servant, God brought his people out with rejoicing, his chosen ones with songs of joy.
Jeremiah 22 – You will be my people, and I will be your God.
John 12 – As long as you have the light, believe in the light so that you might become people whose lives are determined by the light.
For today’s full scripture readings, click here… https://www.divinestreet.org/lent-scripture.html
Our car door wasn’t completely closed Monday morning; that was unusual. The glove box and console were open, and all the contents were spilled out across the front seat; that was just wrong. In that moment, clarity arrived: our car was broken into during the night. We are pretty certain it was locked, but I learned from the Police Department that so were the other nine cars on our block who were entered under the cover of darkness.
After chatting with our neighbor across the street, we learned that his locked car was also accessed by the same person. He knew this because he had both episodes recorded by his security camera. Three or four other neighbors also have video footage of the break-ins. We are hoping the live action will be helpful in getting the thefts stopped.
We were fortunate that nothing was broken or damaged, and the only thing of value we ever keep in our car is a tiny bit of loose change. (Although if you have tried to order fast food at a drive-through window lately, you’d think loose change is gold!) Had we kept something like an extra house key or a garage door opener inside the car, we might be telling a different story today. That could have been a scary story – not for us necessarily. Zeke is a large and protective dog with a deep and menacing growl. We’ve never fully put him to the test, but I’m pretty sure no stranger is getting inside the house without being challenged.
I wonder about the person who was roaming our neighborhood this past week. Maybe he has a new baby and really needed some diapers. Perhaps he was just very hungry and felt there were no other options but to take a bit of unprotected change. Yes, I know that’s unlikely. There were enough nickels and dimes in my car alone to buy a decent hamburger. There would have been no need to hit up the others. I suppose the most probable scenario is a bit of greed. That’s sad to think about. Sad for many reasons such as the fact that was my money and I worked hard for it! A greater reason is less selfish on my part.
A desire for more than we need is a dictionary definition of greed. From a Christian perspective, greed is a bit more complicated. Since God’s desire is for us to live a generous life of peace, wanting to take from others goes against God’s purposes. We may name it sin, but that may also be a little on the simplistic side. Greed in a biblical sense is more about an active and intentional act of responding to temptation. John Ritenbaugh wrote that greed is “an arrogant assumption that others and things exist for one’s own benefit.”
Part of me doubts my thief in the night contemplated anything other than getting what he could with as little effort as possible. A bigger part of me prays he has personal access to information about Jesus and eventually develops the integrity to work in the light rather than in the dark. May he live into Jesus’ challenge recorded in the Gospel of John: “As long as you have the light, believe in the light so that you might become people whose lives are determined by the light.” May the change in his pocket weigh him down enough that he seeks out a change in his heart.
Determined by the Light,
Pastor Beth
PRAYER FROM PSALM 105
Liberating God, we seek your journey. With parted waters, set us free. With cloud and fire, guide us. With gushing waters, quench our thirst. With food from heaven, feed us. Draw us out with joy and singing, that we might know your ways. Amen. (from ministrymatters.com)
KEY VERSES FROM TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 105 – Because God remembered his holy promise to Abraham his servant, God brought his people out with rejoicing, his chosen ones with songs of joy.
Jeremiah 22 – You will be my people, and I will be your God.
John 12 – As long as you have the light, believe in the light so that you might become people whose lives are determined by the light.
For today’s full scripture readings, click here… https://www.divinestreet.org/lent-scripture.html