Testament of Zebulun: Show compassion and mercy impartially

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12

“Now I will declare unto you what I did, I saw a man in distress and nakedness in wintertime, and had compassion upon him, and stole away a garment secretly from my house, and gave it to him who was in distress. Do you therefore, my children, from that which God bestows upon you, show compassion and mercy impartially to all men, and give to every man with a good heart.

And if you have not at the time wherewith to give to him that asks you, have compassion for him in bowels of mercy. I know that my hand found not at the time wherewith to give to him that asked me, and I walked with him weeping for more than seven furlongs, and my bowels yearned towards him unto compassion.

Have therefore yourselves also, my children, compassion towards every man with mercy, that the Lord also may have compassion upon you, and have mercy upon you; because also in the last days God sends His compassion on the earth, and wheresoever He finds bowels of mercy, He dwells in him. For how much compassion a man has upon his neighbours, so much also has the Lord upon him.”

Testament of Zebulun, Concerning Compassion and Mercy. 6.7.1 to 6.8.5 (second century BC).

As I have noted the last few days, this Jewish apocalyptic text (Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs) would have been among the literature that shaped the thinking of Jewish Christians in the early church. Today’s excerpt reminds me of the life of Jesus. He showed compassion and mercy to those society deemed least deserving. Conversely, society teach us to judge and extend generosity to those that are deserving.

Listen again to this instruction: “from that which God bestows upon you, show compassion and mercy impartially to all men, and give to every man with a good heart.” That sums up Christian generosity! All we have comes from God, who is the only righteous judge. We are here to show compassion and mercy, so let’s stop judging and start sharing! Would you want others to aid you impartially in crisis? Of course. Go and do likewise with good heart.

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Proverbs 4:7

“And now, my children, I command you that you fear our Lord with your whole heart, and walk in simplicity according to all His law. And do ye also teach your children learning, that they may have understanding in all their life, reading unceasingly the law of God; for every one who shall know the law of God shall be honoured, and shall not be a stranger wheresoever he goes. Yea, many friends shall he gain more than his forefathers; and many men shall desire to serve him, and to hear the law from his mouth.

Work righteousness, my children, upon the earth, that you may find treasure in the heavens, and sow good things in your souls, that you may find them in your life. For if you sow evil things, you shall reap all trouble and affliction.

Get wisdom in the fear of God with diligence; for though there shall be a leading into captivity, and cities be destroyed, and lands and gold and silver and every possession shall perish, the wisdom of the wise none can take away, save the blindness of ungodliness and the palsy of sin: for even among his enemies shall it be to him glorious, and in a strange country a home, and in the midst of foes shall it be found a friend. If a man teach these things and do them, he shall be enthroned with kings, as was also Joseph our brother.”

Testament of Levi, Concerning the Priesthood and Arrogance 3.13 (second century BC).

This apocalyptic Jewish text would have been among the literature that shaped the thinking of early church Jewish Christians. It echoes Proverbs and calls God’s people to fear the Lord, walk in simplicity, work righteousness, and get wisdom while awaiting the Messiah.

Today, it seems that Messiah’s second coming is imminent. While we are waiting for that, our children just returned to college this weekend. In bidding them farewell, I exhorted both to fear the Lord, walk in simplicity, work righteousness, and get wisdom. Why?

Wisdom in the fear of God is the greatest treasure anyone can possess and/or share generously.

And every day, being constantly in the temple with one accord, and breaking bread in [the] house, they received their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people; and the Lord added [to the assembly] daily those that were to be saved. Acts 2:46-47

“And now hearken to me, my children, and walk in simplicity of heart, for I have seen in it all that is well-pleasing to the Lord. The simple covets not gold, defrauds not his neighbour, longs not after manifold dainties, delights not in varied apparel, does not picture to himself to live a long life, but only waits for the will of God, and the spirits of error have no power against him. For he cannot allow within his mind a thought of female beauty, that he should not pollute his mind in corruption. No envy can enter into his thoughts, no jealousy melts away his soul, nor does he brood over gain with insatiate desire; for he walks in uprightness of life, and beholds all things in simplicity, not admitting in his eyes malice from the error of the world, lest he should see the perversion of any of the commandments of the Lord.”

Testament of Issachar 5.4 (second century BC).

Why quote from another one of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs? It provides another colorful sampling of the literature that influenced the behavior of the early church, which was largely comprised of Jews.

Notice the person with simplicity of heart is focused on the Lord rather than gold, material possessions, lustful desires, envy, jealousy, and personal gain. We also find wise counsel to avoid the modern idol of “building a big retirement” in this text in the expression “does not picture himself to live a long life.” All these desires are perversions of good things.

In Acts of the Apostles, Luke describes the early church as exhibiting this simplicity of heart. When they do, their lives reflect gladness and generosity, oneness and worship, and many come to faith. Want your church to grow in these traits in 2016? Nurture simplicity of heart, that is, encourage everyone to “wait for the will of God” and focus only on “all that is well-pleasing to the Lord.”

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

“My children, the love of money leadeth to idolatry; because, when led astray through money, men name as gods those who are not gods, and it causeth him who hath it to fall into madness.”

Testament of Judah 19.1 (second century BC).

Why quote from ancient Jewish apocalyptic literature today?

“Love of money” is one of the most common and grievous maladies I see in struggling ministry leaders today. The evil one uses this tactic to lead even the most devout disciples astray. They spend all their energy pursuing money rather than God, all the while thinking money is what they need to make ministry happen.

The author of Hebrews in the NT echoes the Testament of Judah and affirms that rather than worrying about what we don’t have (which is the madness of the love of money), we focus on contentment with what we do have, because friends, we have God and He will never forsake us.

For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 2 Corinthians 2:15

“Simplicity in behavior of manners has an enchanting effect, and never fails to gain our affection.”

Henry Home, also known as Lord Kames (1696-1782), a central voice in the Scottish enlightenment .in Day’s Collacon, compiled and arranged by Edward Parsons Day (New York: IPPO, 1884) 860.

Sammy and I returned home last night. We spent quality time with those who are saved and now enter a world filled with the saved and the perishing.

Will our lives have an “enchanting effect” on those around us? I pray so.

God, cause our simplicity internally to exhibit generosity externally so we reflect your kindness to those who are saved and those who are perishing.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3

“Simplicity, of all things, is the hardest to be copied.”

Richard Steele (1672-1729) in Day’s Collacon, compiled and arranged by Edward Parsons Day (New York: IPPO, 1884) 860.

We also tie flies on our annual fly fishing outing each new year. Often we learn new patterns which, like simplicity, are difficult to copy. It takes practice.

Training our hearts and minds to realize that the only thing worth possessing is the kingdom of heaven takes practice too. The world bombards us with messages to the contrary.

The poor in spirit get it. I am not there yet, but I am learning.

As we grasp simplicity, we come to see that generosity isn’t something we do, but what we become in Christ once we have taken hold of the kingdom of heaven.

You can see that I changed the header image for my daily meditations again. I took this picture outside St. Mary Magdalene’s Anglican Cathedral in Stoke Bishop, a short walk from Trinity College in Bristol, England.

This picture reminds me that saints through the centuries have pursued simplicity before me and set an example for me to follow (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:11). Care to join me?

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. John 21:4-11

“We need to know that God does not take orders from us, but we also need to know that the Bible encourages us to make all of our requests known to God (Philippians 4:6). We are little children stating our wishes and desires. Indeed, at times, our prayers may be nothing more than expressions of “what we wish could be true,” though we know at some level that it almost certainly cannot be.

Such knowledge is not a lack of faith, and God (like any loving parent) wants to hear us speak of such things. We can pray seriously for that which we honestly believe God will grant, and we can pray wistfully for that which we merely fancy, and we can pray naïvely with little awareness of which of these is which. Sometimes God gives us what we want, sometimes God gives us nothing, and sometimes God surprises us with something much better.”

Mark Allan Powell in Loving Jesus (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 2004) 168.

Yesterday morning en route to the San Juan with my son, Sammy, and our friends, Clay and Charlie Jones, each of us prayed for a big day as it was our “tenth anniversary” New Year’s fly fishing trip. I prayed for what I thought was the unthinkable, a 100-trout day, for the four of us. Some years we have been lucky to get even just a few fish as a group.

Sometimes God surprises us!

Sammy landed the 100th trout, a huge rainbow just after lunch. Remembering this text from John’s Gospel, and knowing that we had about four hours before the snow would start flying, the temperature would drop, and the sun would be gone, we looked at each other and said, “Could it be possible for us to have a 153-trout day?”

Sometimes God surprises us!

We did it. We caught (and released) 153 trout of various sizes in one day. For those who have to see to believe, enjoy the photo of one of them (above)! Powell is spot on: “Sometimes God gives us what we want, sometimes God gives us nothing, and sometimes God surprises us with something much better.” It is the Lord! He was generous to us, and we will never forget it!

As we embark on 2016, let’s remember that our generous God can do more than we could ever ask or imagine.

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:22-24

“True simplicity regards God alone; it has its eye fixed upon Him, and is not drawn toward self…All our uneasy feelings and reflections arise from self-love, whatever appearance of piety they may assume. The lack of simplicity inflicts many wounds. Go where we will, if we remain in ourselves, we carry everywhere our sins and our distresses. If we will live in peace, we must lose sight of self, and rest in the infinite and unchangeable God.”

Jeanne Guyon (1648-1717) as recounted in Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, compiled by Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert (New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1895) 544.

On what is your eye fixed?

Today my “eye” will be fixed on a fly, or perhaps a “strike indicator” if I am nymphing. A good fly fisherman is focused. The “focus” aspect of fly fishing with my son, Sammy, and with Clay and Charlie Jones around New Year’s day always takes my mind and, more importantly, my heart back to the one thing I must be fixed on this year: God.

If our eye is fixed on anything else, not only will we not exhibit generosity, we will “inflict wounds” as Guyon put it. I’ve inflicted a lot of wounds over the years. Perhaps you have too. To prepare our hearts for a generous year, let’s focus on true simplicity, that is on God alone, so that our lives will be full of His light!

Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. Proverbs 23:4-5

“Observation shows us that there is a fascination in wealth which renders it extremely difficult for the possessors of it to maintain their equilibrium…growing wealth will prove no blessing to thee unless thou gettest growing grace. Prosperity destroys a fool and endangers a wise man; be on thy guard, good friend, for whether thou be the one or the other, thy testing hour is come.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) in “Slippery Places” in The Sword and the Trowel ed. (London Metropolitan Tabernacle, January 1867) 157-159.

Let us pray for “growing grace” in 2016, for God often provides “growing wealth” to those who walk in obedience. Father in Heaven, help us not loose our “equilibrium” but be on guard and cast but a glance at riches because our eyes are fixed on You!

This afternoon Sammy and I head out to go fly fishing with Clay and Charlie Jones on the San Juan River in Navajo Dam, NM, over the next few days. They are more than fellow fly fishermen. As the “testing hour” has come, they are wise brothers and accountability partners with whom we start each year by spending a few days together.

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:31-33

“He is not poor that hath little but he that desireth much.”

George Herbert (1593-1633), an Anglican priest, in The Poetical Works of George Herbert and Reginald Heber (Edinburgh: Gall & Inglis, 1875) 254.

Many people have New Year’s Resolutions. Perhaps you are among them. If you are looking for one, here’s my advice: Seek the Father’s kingdom and His righteousness in 2016!

When you do, everything else in your life will fall into the proper place. It’s not easy, but far better than filling yourself with stuff that leaves you empty and lacking.

All other roads lead to poverty. This one leads us to fullness and fulfillment. It also positions you to grow in generosity, fueled by the Father’s abundance. What will you desire this year?