What does God think of the way I am living my life?  Throughout today’s reflection, God provides some incredible insight to answer that question.  In his letter to his beloved Philippians, Paul urges them to be imitators of the model he had laid out to them – the model Jesus Christ exemplified.  Paul evidently had heard rumors that some of his Philippian  brothers and sisters may have lost their way.  He reminds them that conducting one’s life as an enemy of the cross of Christ has dire consequences.  Recklessly pursuing earthly things leads to destruction and shame.  Paul reminds them - and us – that their citizenship is in heaven where they will find their Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  We simply need to stand firm in the Lord, keeping our daily focus upon Jesus and upon our responsibility to point others to Him.

Psalm 122 further defines what living for the Lord looks like.  That act of obedience involves rejoicing as we give thanks in the name of our Lord for all the blessing that he showers upon us each and every day.  That rejoicing is continually reinforced as we routinely go up the house of the Lord.  Yes , regularly joining our church family in worship is a crucial part of living our lives to please our Lord.   Church attendance is truly a privilege, something to rejoice, something we must never take for granted. 

Savoring our church attendance, however is not enough.  The Alleluia from First John reminds us to “keep the word of Christ”.   The love of God is truly perfected through His Word.  Living our lives for Jesus demands that we prioritize our daily time in the Bible.  Studying and listening ! 

While the first three readings for today lay out a prescription for Godly living, but as we often find throughout the Bible, other passages often require a deeper reflection.  Our Gospel message from Luke is just such a message.  According to the world’s view, the story Jesus shared with his disciples doesn’t make sense.  Jesus describes a rich man whose steward squandered his property.  When informed of that issue, the rich man demanded that the steward prepare a full account of his stewardship, which obviously would expose his deceit.  So far, we easily understand where Jesus is taking us.   Then the twist comes - before  preparing that report,  the dishonest steward went to all the creditors and forgave a good part of each debt in an effort to gain favor for himself after he had lost his job.  Jesus’s story then takes a surprising turn, the wise man commended the dishonest steward for “acting prudently”.  How can that be, the dishonest steward had not only cheated his master before he was caught, but he then further cheated him once he was called to account.  Does that sound like prudence?  It certainly doesn’t sound like justice.  Jesus ended this story by noting that “the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than the children of light.” 

Three significant points for us to ponder are found in that story:  First, we must come to grips with the fact that God is the owner of literally everything - our possessions, our families, and even our very lives. We are thus stewards of all that God has blessed us to manage.  How are we managing that responsibility?  Does our stewardship continually point to Jesus?  Do we try to make things easy for us on earth, forgetting the eternal consequences?  Secondly, are we children of this world or are we children of the light?   Children of the light use their lives as examples of God’s love and His precepts.  We must choose each moment of each day to stand firm in the Lord as a true child of God.  And Third, is this story really just reminding us that nothing is hidden from God and that he truly is willing and able to forgive us all our sins, even when justice demands that our sins be punished.  After all, undeserved forgiveness is what our loving God showers upon each of us every moment of every day.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for providing us with your holy word.  Help us to discern what you have to teach us through each and every passage.   Teach us also to prioritize our time with you and in your word each and every day of our lives.
In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen