Psalm Meditation 1165 ¶Proper 24 ¶October 16, 2022 ¶Psalm 37 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+37&version=NRSVUE (NRSV) ¶The history of the word ‘fret’ traces from Old English to Germanic and means to ‘eat up.’ I imagine and hope that I am not the only one who has ever eaten myself up with worry or envy over what someone else has received or achieved when I ‘deserved’ it more than they. I have also fretted about someone else taking things from me through an evil machination, even if it was not mine to begin with. Fretting does nothing to accomplish our goals and robs us of the energy we need to be productive as we eat ourselves up with worry. ¶The psalmist tells us to worry less about the achievements of others, especially those who have achieved things through dishonest means. While those who use selfish and dishonest means to get what they want, their gains do not last. Eventually they are found out and any good reputation they have had falls apart in the clear light of day. The psalmist reminds us to commit ourselves to the LORD since what we give and receive in a relationship with God lasts longer and does more good than any amount of selfish acts. ¶There are faithful people who have a little and there are faithful who have a lot. The important thing for each of them is the relationship with God that has been formed and nurtured in the course of a lifetime. As people of faith we learn to help those in need and to rejoice with those who have abundance that they use to help others. The mark of faithfulness is not in our possessions as much as it is in our relationships. ¶October 11, 2022 ¶LCM