Readings: Habakkuk 1, 2-3, 2, 2-4; Psalm 95, If today You hear His Voice, harden not Your Hearts; 2 Timothy 1, 6-8, 13-14; Luke 17, 5-10.
Habakkuk (What a Name!), Observations:
Author: Habakkuk, one of the 12 minor prophets (small book, only 3 chapters. Less known about Habakkuk than any other scripture writer.
Date: Probably right before the great Babylonian Captivity, i.e., around 600.
Subject: The Babylonians are coming. Get ready for bad times, because you Jewish people have been bad. Like all prophets, prophesy of doom and disaster for sin, followed by peace after purification by Yahweh. There is an imaginary dialogue between Yahweh & Habakkuk. We'll read all of chapter 1 & the first 4 verses of chapter 2 for a richer view of the writing.
Different Paradigm: Gifted and Giving
I recently had the occasion to reacquaint myself with a bad old friend from my youth. The friend is Stein’s Bakery.
Stein’s today is located at Preston & LBJ, southwest corner When I was a kid it was located at Preston & Northwest Hwy., southwest corner, what is called now Preston Center.
I had a Dallas Morning News paper route when I was in high school and covered three streets just north of Northwest Hwy, Deloache, Woodlawn, and Park Lane. When I would finish throwing my papers about 4:30 ( I walked in those days ), I would stop in at Stein’s on my way back home to buy a small fried cherry pie. They were terrific.
During my recuperation this year, someone I will name, Cindy Cramer, brought me a new taste temptation from Stein’s, something called cinnamon crisps. I could not resist.
So, I headed back to Stein’s for the first time in 50 years. I am thinking this is a momentous event, my return to Stein’s. I order my half dozen & explain to the sales girl I have returned for the first time in 50 years. I expect maybe she will play a trumpet or Fanfare for the Common Man, at least give me the cinnamon crisps gratis as a welcome home gesture.
You guessed it. She was totally ho hum. I was deflated. Does she not know who I am, what a great guy I am, where I have been all these years?
I am reminded of this event because I am intrigued by the notion in the reading that we, I, are all unprofitable servants, just doing what we have been commanded by the master. This has not been my understanding. Were we not taught that we are special in the eyes of the creator?
I see a trap in considering myself simply as an unprofitable creature, in other words, fairly useless. If I have such a low self image of myself, I will certainly not be excited about my life. In fact, I probably could be pretty negative.
I would propose two thoughts:
1. Let me change the paradigm from master & servant to Gifted and Giving. Servant & master is not what we are into. This is not our language.
2. Then, let me observe that we are both, both gifted and giving. Not just gifted or giving. Moreover, we are even more gifted when we are giving, not as unprofitable and useless creatures, but as also gifted.
Sometimes we think we are one or the other. I’m worthless or, like when I went to Stein’s, I am hot stuff.
So what are you & how do you know what you are?
Picture 1: Fred & Patricia's wedding at The Parsonage
Picture 2: Erin & Brian under the Pecan Tree, Heritage Ranch, Fairview
Picture 3: Sienna with Eva pulling
Picture 4: Eva
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