August 14 ▪ Day 226

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 21:13
Ecclesiastes 5–6
Mark 6
Psalms 42

Verse Focus (Proverbs 21:13)

Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor
     will also cry out and not be answered.

Meditation

Today’s verse focus, Proverbs 21:13, says in the ESV, “Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.” This ties in nicely with some of the things we have been learning in the past couple of days. Yesterday’s psalm spoke of how those who consider the poor are blessed; two days ago we reflected on Jesus’ command in Mark 4 to pay attention to what we hear. I always love these bits of synchronicity!

Today’s verse also reminds me of the Lord’s prayer. God forgives our sins according to how we also forgive others. This proverb is yet another example of the Biblical principle that the measure we use is the same measure by which we will receive.

In reading this proverb in the past, I think I always used to feel a bit of guilt — wondering if I had been shutting my ears to the poor. Again, I think part of the problem is because I was interpreting “the poor” only in terms of financial contexts. Even in tithing, what I can contribute towards ministries that support the homeless or that help impoverished children throughout our world seems so insufficient compared to the vastness of the problems of world poverty.

But I don’t think that God expects me to solve world poverty, and I don’t think this proverb is talking about the amorphous needs of people that I have never met. I need to remember that “the poor” is a much larger pool of people needing help: those suffering relationship crises, those struggling in faith, those who are depressed or hurting, those who are sick, and more. In fact, the poor are any who are weak, sick, afflicted, hurting, suffering, poor in spirit, or needy (emotionally, financially, or otherwise needing help). And it only takes a few seconds’ thought to come up with a number of people I know that need help or encouragement.

I have a friend who prays every day for God to show her how she may help someone. She’s always on the lookout to see how she may help or encourage another person. I admire this and have often thought about incorporating this request into my own prayers. But I think what I really want is to know that I am hearing and responding to the cry of the poor. And so I will pray for God to show me, each day, how I might answer the cry of the poor — I need ears to ear, the heart to respond, and the motivation to actually do something (and not just think about doing something). Will you join me in this?

Father God, enable us to minister to the poor by your grace. Help us to see the poor and know how to help. Let us be practical as we respond. Guide us by your Holy Spirit, day by day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

In Ecclesiastes 5, Solomon tells us in verse 7, “When dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity.” Since many words will result in futility and meaninglessness, Solomon counsels us to “let your words be few (v. 2).” When entering the house of God, we should “draw near to listen,” rather than offering “ the sacrifice of fools… [who] do not know that they are doing evil (v. 1).”

The chapter goes on to speak of how wealth is ultimately meaningless. Verse 10 says, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.” Indeed, the wealthy do not sleep well — unlike modest laborers whose sleep is “sweet (v. 12).”

With so much “vanity” surrounding us, Solomon advises us to eat and drink and find enjoyment in our work. To be satisfied in your “lot” and to “rejoice” in your labor is a gift from God (v. 19). This theme repeats throughout the book of Ecclesiastes.

As Ecclesiastes 6 begins, Solomon speaks of the grievous evil where some who have wealth and possessions and favor do not have the power to enjoy these things. Indeed, if we are not able to enjoy “life’s good things (v. 3),” Solomon says that a stillborn child is better off than we are. Much of the trouble springs from our “appetite.” We are constantly desiring more than what we have. Yet the appetite is never satisfied. If only we could learn to be content with what we have! As verse 9 says, “Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.”

The chapter concludes again with Solomon’s caution against too many words. “The more words, the more vanity,” says verse 11, “and what is the advantage to man?”

These chapters can be quite sobering. Who has not observed or experienced the kinds of vanity Solomon describes here? We think if we just had this little bit more than what we have now, we would be happy. It isn’t even necessarily material goods we crave. If I just had a spouse. If I could just finish my education. Once the kids are older. If I weren’t so tired. There’s some change we think will make us happy — but the truth is, if we are not happy in the present moment, then we will not be happy when the change in circumstance occurs, either.

Truly, to be content with what you have and where you are in life is a gift from God. Dissatisfaction is one of the hallmarks of original sin. This is why Scripture tells us, again and again, that lack of gratitude to God is a very serious thing. Yet we must seek Christ Jesus in order to attain that kind of peace. Solomon has no answers for us other than to advise us to control our tongues — at least we will get into less trouble that way!

As we re-read Mark chapter 6 today, much of the narrative is familiar to us. And yet there are always new things to discover. Jesus returns to his home town of Nazareth, but is rejected by the people. As verse 3 says, “They took offense at him.” As I meditate on this, I think about what Jesus said in verse 4, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.”

How true this is! The people who know you best are also the ones who see all your flaws. You’re more likely to snap at a sibling than a stranger. A prophet may be without honor in his own household simply because his family will see all his weaknesses. But — since Jesus was sinless — that can’t be entirely what he means here. Jesus was without honor in Nazareth, but what weaknesses did he have? Did he not do all things well? So why did the town of Nazareth take offense at him?

And it occurs to me that another thing families and your own communities do is put you into a box. You get weighed and labeled; no one expects you to do anything surprising. In fact, there’s a whole weight of expectation that will frown upon you trying to do anything more than what fits into how your family sees you. So what does this situation in Nazareth teach me about God? Through Jesus, I learn that God does not play into the expectations that people have of Him.

The Pharisees thought that they knew the God of Israel best of all. And yet they could not even recognize God in the flesh because He didn’t conform to their expectations. It makes me wonder how many times I miss seeing God in action because He isn’t moving in the way I expect Him to move. Or perhaps I’m not even looking for God outside of the people and the communities that I happen to be comfortable with. We are spiritually blind unless God opens our eyes. This is true in reading Scripture, and true of seeing God at work in our society. Lord, open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law (Psalm 119:18)!

Mark 6 also tells us that Jesus could not do many miracles in Nazareth. Since Jesus marveled at their unbelief, it seems that the unbelief prevented Jesus from doing various signs and wonders (v. 5-6). Since I’ve just been musing on how God acts as He sees fit, how do I reconcile that with the idea that our lack of faith can block God’s grace? Or is it more that Jesus could have done miracles, but didn’t want to waste them on people who were determined not to believe?

I think this gets into an area where we just don’t really have the capacity to fully understand. If we talk from God’s point of view, God is sovereign and does whatsoever He wills, even granting us the faith to believe. But if we talk from the point of view of humanity, our willingness to open our hearts to God makes a tremendous difference in what God does or does not do in our sight. We think it is an either/or situation. But even though it seems like it’s mutually exclusive, I believe it’s more a case of both/and — both God’s sovereignty and our free will.

Today I find myself touched by Jesus’ care of the disciples when they returned from their mission trips. He urges them, “Come away… and rest a while (v. 31).” Jesus knows that we need to rest our bodies and restore our souls. The past month has been very difficult for me. I also need rest and restoration. But as the gospel story turns out, the disciples only got a tiny bit of respite before Jesus’ compassion for the crowds led to one of the greatest miracles in the gospels — the feeding of the five thousand. This encourages me in my own journey. I may have gotten some rest recently, and it doesn’t feel like it’s been enough — but if I do the things God calls me to do I may find miracles waiting for me too. 🙂

I am happy that we get to read Psalm 42 again today because it is, as I’ve mentioned before, one of my favorite psalms. This is a psalm for the brokenhearted, a psalm for those in grief or distress. It is a psalm for those who suffer. Tragedies can strike at any time. And even if the circumstances aren’t dire, our emotional well-being can be rocky. Depression is a terrible foe. As verse 7 says, “Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.” This is the psalm for those who are drowning.

Today as I re-read this beloved psalm, it is verse 2 that strikes me. The psalmist says, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” And I realize that this is precisely the problem when we are drowning — we are in desperate need of the living God. Usually when I read this verse I think about whether or not I recognize my thirst for God. And if I don’t recognize that thirst, my eyes tend to skip on past this verse. But today I saw that that thirst for God is at the root of why the psalmist is so downcast. I may not recognize the thirst for God, but that dryness in my spirit is what is causing my despair.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Streams of living water will flow from within the one who believes in Christ Jesus (John 7:38). As the psalmist concludes in verse 11, “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

Father God, I place my hope in you. I believe in the salvation of your Son, Jesus Christ. May your streams of living water flow inside me. Satisfy the thirst of my spirit with Yourself. Fill me with your grace and peace and strength. Help me to do the things you call me to do. Use me as your instrument. Help me to minister to your poor — the downtrodden, the discouraged, the sick, the lonely, and the despairing.

As you fill me with your Spirit, I also pray that you would give me contentment in my lot in life. Curb my appetite for material things and for future earthly situations. Give me your peace and your joy for all that you have already given me. Thank you for your love and your faithfulness. Thank you that you are steadfast. Thank you that nothing can separate me from the love you have for me in Christ Jesus. I pray in his name, Amen.