Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove your evil deeds from before my eyes;
Isaiah 1:16-17
cease to do evil; learn to do good; seek justice; rescue the oppressed; defend the orphan; plead for the widow.
Dear members and friends,
Sharing what I have with others in the form of giving is encouraged by all religious practices. The Bible especially focuses on giving to those who are in need. In Isaiah, God strongly emphasizes the justice of God as “rescuing the oppressed, defending the orphans, and pleading for the widow.” This is what God has been emphasizing in the Bible since God called Moses from Egypt: you help those who cannot help themselves. In a way, one reason that God blesses some people with special gifts and wealth could be for this purpose. In the Bible, an ideal community is one in which all people are supported and protected regardless of their social status, gender, or ability. In other words, if and when we are involved in activities that create more oppression, orphans, and widows, we are quite far away from the justice of God.
The goal of our life on earth has never been and never should be about being better or wealthier than others, but about building a secure and prosperous community together. Even very selfish and self-centered people would prefer to live in a community where there is security and prosperity. However, we could only achieve such a community when all members feel secure and are met with basic needs to have a satisfactory life. This is achieved only by means of sharing what we have with each other. This is important because what each member of our community feels ultimately influences how we feel about our own life. Thanksgiving is just around the corner followed by Advent. Let us be mindful of the needs of our family, friends, and neighbors. Let us be willing to share and give what we have with those who are in need. And let us remember that we are doing this not just for others, but essentially for ourselves.
My brothers and sisters in God, let us take a moment of reflection this week. Let us take “gratefulness” and “thankfulness” to our hearts. As we are thankful and grateful, let us help and support those who might not be feeling the same due to their current conditions or situations.
Blessings,
Rev. Junchol Lee