Wanna Be Startin' Something

Then he commanded the men whom he sent saying, "Thus shall you say to all the Israelites, 'Has such a thing ever happened since the day that the Israelites came up from the land of Egypt until this day? Consider it, take counsel, and speak out.' " Judges 19: 30 NRSV

Michael Jackson's song, Wanna Be Startin' Something is playing while I write this.

There is no king in Israel. There doesn't seem to be any judges in Israel at this time, either. So the people must take things in their own hands.

The time is ripe for this Levite to use a hot-button topic to get the armies of the tribes to carry out his revenge.

I cannot tell you how many times in various churches I have seen church members use certain hot topics to create chaos, havoc and, eventually, whatever they want to happen or not happen. Maybe they didn't cut up a person into twelve pieces but they did use whatever would get folks riled up in order to get their own way. Many times the pastor was the focus of their attention but not in every case.

The result often included scaring off those who were truly committed to doing God's will over their own, hurting lots of innocent people and destroying the delicate balance of love and trust needed in a community of Christ.

Have you ever seen this happen in your church? What was your reaction? Looking back, was there something you could have done differently to change the outcome?

God, you want to start something but so often many of us wanna start somethin'. Help us to follow you rather than our own desires. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Question of the day: Have you ever started something in your church out of your own motives?

Copyright 2009 Amelia G. Sims

Don't Blame Me

After a while, at the time of the wheat harvest, Samson went to visit his wife, bringing along a kid. He said, "I want to go into my wife's room." But her father would not allow him to go in. Her father said, "I was sure that you had rejected her; so I gave her to your companion. Is not her younger sister prettier than she? Why not take her instead?" Samson said to them,"This time, when I do mischief to the Philistines, I will be without blame." Judges 15: 1- 3 NRSV

At the beginning of Judges, the saving of the people came about through a warrior or leader whose purpose was to help the people and save them from their enemies. Now we will see the defeat of the enemies through a man whose motivation is not for his people but simply because he doesn't get his way. I wanted to say for revenge, but I am not sure that even fits here. Samson himself says he is going to cause mischief. It doesn't even seem like the violence he does is seen as violent or warlike. For Samson, it is just a huge joke.

Samson's main motivation in life is his libido.

Maybe his lack of drink has caused his focus to be on his passion for women. Somehow I have always understood Nazarenes to be more spiritual, prayerful and pure.

What happened to create someone like Samson? I really want to blame his upbringing. Maybe the angel should have told the parents a bit more about what Samson would do when he grew up. Yet, maybe that was the whole purpose - God knew what kind of person Samson would become and how that kind of person would help God's people.

Am I acting on the purest of motivations? Do I do things in the name of Jesus but with a personal agenda? Am I blind to selfish actions I take when I see myself as doing the righteous thing? What is my own main motivation in my life?

God, you have created us and called your creation good. Yet, we are motivated by our own desires rather than yours. Please forgive us and turn us to you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Question of the day: How do you know if your motivations are of God?

Copyright 2009 Amelia G. Sims