Rich & Poor

6/25/09
I have been using as a centering prayer today II Cor. 8:9, "For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich."
My prayers have led me to reflect on how I and the church I serve act. We are rich. We live in West Austin, Westlake Hills, a rich zip code if there ever was one. I think we want to help people, reach out to people, bless people. I am quite proud of us and all of our mission outreach, our generosity.
The one thing that came to me in my praying was this: is our giving an act of control, of "lording" it over others, a way of keeping distance? I hope we are not just being busy or giving out of guilt or keeping the "other" distant.
I know I have issues with this because I started to title this article, "Rich/Poor." It was only as I started to write that I changed it to "Rich & Poor."
I think this is what Christ is doing in the church whether in Corinth or Westlake Hills: helping us become community, finding Him in the "other" without labels of rich & poor.

Love,
Pastor Lynn