What Would You Do For Eight Thousand Dollars?

Octomom, Nadya Suleman, recently posed (almost) naked for a British women’s magazine. If you’re like me, your first inclination is to condemn her in several different ways, which eventually come back to the price. $8000.00 is her rate for showing her modest parts to the world. Maybe $4.00 is the price others will pay to participate with her. It reminds me of a movie, I think the title was Indecent Proposal about the consequences to a married couple who entertained, and eventually accepted a proposal of a wealthy man to sleep with the wife in exchange for a million dollars. I know they are not exactly the same, but there are commonalities. It comes down to this: when I am convicted that something is wrong, what will it take to make me do it anyway?

First, let’s consider money. How much would it take to change one digit or one check box on your tax return? Plenty will do this for less than a thousand dollars. And no matter how it is rationalized, it is still lying, cheating, and stealing. How big would the jakpot need to be to entice you to win by fraudulent means?

Nadya sacrificed the sanctity of her body’s modesty for money, what would entice you? And how much would it take for you to cross that line?

The point is, without excusing anyone for breach of morality, why are we so eager to condemn Nadya, without first taking notice of the plank of wood impaling our own eye?

The Word of God

When I think of the Word of God I almost always go to the scripture in Hebrews that says, “the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates, even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) That passage teaches us several important ways the Word of God affects us.

The word of God is alive. We may read it in ink on paper, but it is much more than that. The word doesn’t change, but it applies to every situation we can endure or imagine. The same passage may come to mean something new regarding our present circumstances. When we are looking for direction in our lives, “seek first the kingdom of God” may mean something valuable to us as an encouragement, but when we are backslidden, it may mean something entirely different. Then when we wonder what we might say to someone to encourage their Christian walk, “seek first…” may give new meaning in old words. Yes, and the word also lives because it changes things. From the very beginning we see the creative power of the word. God spoke and it came to be. The word of God is just as creative today: “seek first the kingdom…” may not be a command as much as it is a promise, for God gives us everything we need to accomplish whatever he has asked.

Often, we may find great comfort in God’s word as we see his interaction with humanity, but Hebrews also reveals another side of the word – it cuts. If we always only find comfort in the word, we are not letting it do all that God has purposed in giving it to us. He wants us to be shaped and convicted by the words that describe his righteousness.

Finally the word has something to do with judgment. And I am both thankful and frightened by the realization that the word searches my private thoughts and even my attitude about things. When the preacher encourages us to have an attitude of gratitude, with God, that translates to faith. My mind is nowhere near to perfection, my attitudes are often at war with my own desires and goals, but God knows me. He has walked with me when I am weak and when I have had the strength to help others. His word teaches me new things about myself in all those circumstances. When the word judges the thoughts and attitudes of my heart, it finds more work for the holy Spirit in transformation and for the blood of Jesus in forgiveness.