Advent 3
December 16, 2018
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
A more vivid expression is “He who repairs not his gutters repairs his whole house.” It talks about the value of investment up front. It is akin to politicians advocating for funding for social needs such as education, healthcare and infrastructure. The follower of this advice invests in the present, to avoid greater costs in the future. The expression implies that the pound of cure is 16 times the worth of an ounce of prevention. While not to be taken literally, it implies the decision should not be a difficult one. For those who are confused with weights and measures outside of the metric system, this phrase can be shortened to “prevention is far better than cure.”
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not worry about anything,
but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
While the Bible certainly contains many verses about the value of forbearance, there are also many that seem to tell people not to planahead, to live in the moment instead, because God will provide. There is a fine line between prudent planning and worthless worrying. Often we cannot even tell the two apart.And the advice of others may not always be clear either. My yoga teacher describes her preparation as "Plan plan plan, pray pray pray.” One does not have to set up planning and praying as opposites. God can be in both our thoughts and our plans, and we can commit those to God in prayer. Animal rights activist and yoga teacher Sharon Gannon says, “My practice is something I do for God. Period.” With these words she overcomes the false dichotomy of prayer and preparation.
Advent 4
December 23 , 2018
Pride goeth before a fall
Aesop tells the story of two fighting cocks:After winning a battle over the other, one flew to the top of the house and began to crow in glee. This attracted an eagle which flew down, scooped the fighting cock and flew him back to his nest. This allowed the other fighting cock to take his place on top of the henhouse. Pride went before the fall. The very line that we read above is a slight abbreviation of Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Luke 1:51-52
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty
Pride is one of the seven deadly sins constantly identified within the scriptures. While verse 51 speaks explicitly of pride preceding a fall, verses 52 and 53 speak of success in the political and financial realms. It is as if pride is just assumed (as a natural byproduct of success). It is as if the teaching is more about the transient nature of earthly rewards more than about the sin of pride. Or, perhaps, we are being told that pride is so insidious that we cannot ever assume we can enjoy success without its presence. In all cases, we are to be careful, mindful and corrective of our pride.
Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary (Click on the season you wish to see)
Advent
Christmas and Epiphany
Transfiguration and Lent
Easter
Pentecost to Proper Sixteen
Proper Seventeen to The Reign of Christ
Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary (Click on the season you wish to see)
Advent
Christmas and Epiphany
Transfiguration and Lent
Easter
Trinity Sunday to Proper Sixteen
Proper Seventeen to The Reign of Christ
Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary (Click on the season you wish to see)
Advent
Christmas and Epiphany
Transfiguration and Lent
Easter
Pentecost to Proper Sixteen
Proper Seventeen to Reign of Christ
For more on Glenn Morison and his book that led to this page, check out The Things We Say.
All this material is copyleft. Feel free to use it however you see fit, with or without attribution.
If you wish to value this page, please make a donation to the Winnipeg Quaker Meeting.
December 16, 2018
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
A more vivid expression is “He who repairs not his gutters repairs his whole house.” It talks about the value of investment up front. It is akin to politicians advocating for funding for social needs such as education, healthcare and infrastructure. The follower of this advice invests in the present, to avoid greater costs in the future. The expression implies that the pound of cure is 16 times the worth of an ounce of prevention. While not to be taken literally, it implies the decision should not be a difficult one. For those who are confused with weights and measures outside of the metric system, this phrase can be shortened to “prevention is far better than cure.”
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not worry about anything,
but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
While the Bible certainly contains many verses about the value of forbearance, there are also many that seem to tell people not to planahead, to live in the moment instead, because God will provide. There is a fine line between prudent planning and worthless worrying. Often we cannot even tell the two apart.And the advice of others may not always be clear either. My yoga teacher describes her preparation as "Plan plan plan, pray pray pray.” One does not have to set up planning and praying as opposites. God can be in both our thoughts and our plans, and we can commit those to God in prayer. Animal rights activist and yoga teacher Sharon Gannon says, “My practice is something I do for God. Period.” With these words she overcomes the false dichotomy of prayer and preparation.
Advent 4
December 23 , 2018
Pride goeth before a fall
Aesop tells the story of two fighting cocks:After winning a battle over the other, one flew to the top of the house and began to crow in glee. This attracted an eagle which flew down, scooped the fighting cock and flew him back to his nest. This allowed the other fighting cock to take his place on top of the henhouse. Pride went before the fall. The very line that we read above is a slight abbreviation of Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Luke 1:51-52
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty
Pride is one of the seven deadly sins constantly identified within the scriptures. While verse 51 speaks explicitly of pride preceding a fall, verses 52 and 53 speak of success in the political and financial realms. It is as if pride is just assumed (as a natural byproduct of success). It is as if the teaching is more about the transient nature of earthly rewards more than about the sin of pride. Or, perhaps, we are being told that pride is so insidious that we cannot ever assume we can enjoy success without its presence. In all cases, we are to be careful, mindful and corrective of our pride.
Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary (Click on the season you wish to see)
Advent
Christmas and Epiphany
Transfiguration and Lent
Easter
Pentecost to Proper Sixteen
Proper Seventeen to The Reign of Christ
Year B of the Revised Common Lectionary (Click on the season you wish to see)
Advent
Christmas and Epiphany
Transfiguration and Lent
Easter
Trinity Sunday to Proper Sixteen
Proper Seventeen to The Reign of Christ
Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary (Click on the season you wish to see)
Advent
Christmas and Epiphany
Transfiguration and Lent
Easter
Pentecost to Proper Sixteen
Proper Seventeen to Reign of Christ
For more on Glenn Morison and his book that led to this page, check out The Things We Say.
All this material is copyleft. Feel free to use it however you see fit, with or without attribution.
If you wish to value this page, please make a donation to the Winnipeg Quaker Meeting.
