On the front page of Sunday's Oregonian was an article on Measure 66, the proposed tax hike. By now most of us have seen the ads that started a few weeks ago. I wonder how much money will be spent attacking and defending this measure.
The following is an excerpt from the article. "A few of us have gotten pretty affluent," says Arthur Graham, founder of M. Graham & Co., a Hubbard business that makes and sells artistic paints worldwide. "You have to turn around at some point and say, what's good for the soul of the world, not just me."
Do you think Mr. Graham's comment embraces more than Measure 66? I don't want to read anything in his comment that was not intended, but certain words speak to me. He said we have to turn. As soon as I read or hear the word turn I think of 2 Chronicles 7:14, a beautiful verse from the Old Testament. It says, "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." This verse is to those of us who call upon the name of the Lord, those of us who think we have our ducks all in a row, those of us who think 'we get it.'
2 Chronicles 7:14 is not to an unbelieving world. It is not for those who make fun of the church, become rude at the word Christian, or angry and defiant at the name of Jesus Christ. It is for those of us who claim to love God.
I admit there is much in the Bible I do not like. There is even more I do not understand. Didn't Jesus say he came to bring a sword? Is that sword meant for the hearts of unbelievers or the hearts of Christians? I believe it is meant for the hearts of Christians. If we were what the Lord intended us to be how many enemies of the church would be believers instead?
Mr. Graham also said, "...what's good for the soul of the world, not just me." Lily enjoys watching travel programs. The other day we saw a TV program about the grandeur and wealth of Atlantis in the Bahamas. Do you know that opulent jewel is surrounded by poverty? One of the commercial breaks was about children starving in the world. Was that the best place to air that commercial?
The power and wealth of the world is mostly in the hands of thoughtless unbelievers who build places like Atlantis and Dubai while much of the world starves. In my carnal way of thinking these are the people who should do more for the soul of the world, and to me I think Jesus would say, "Get behind me Satan."
2 Chronicles 7:14 is for me. After all, who did Jesus notice? He noticed the widow who gave all she had. She gave out of her poverty. Yes, Jesus brought a sword, but it is a sword for the hearts of those who call him Lord, those whose anger is miss-placed when they look to others to do what they should be doing.
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