Psalm Meditation 1250 ¶Proper 4 ¶June 2, 2024 ¶Psalm 128 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+128&version=NRSVUE (NRSVUE) ¶This may be one of the scriptures from which people took the idea that to be a person of God is all sweetness, and light, rainbows, and unicorns. If we walk in the ways of God, we will have all sorts of good things that will lead to a good life and a lasting legacy through all the wonderful children we will have. All we have to do is fear, be awed by, God, and follow the rules that God has given to us. Our friends and neighbors will see us, and will want to imitate us so that they too can have all of these good things. ¶This works best in a place in which all of our neighbors are just like us. The first person who questions or opposes our way of life will be a thorn in our flesh. If that person happens to have more power and influence than we do, we are in for a world of problems. The nation of the psalmist was pretty monolithic, with everyone agreeing to living the same way. The better we are at living by the rules, the better our neighbors think of us. There are places in the world in which our neighbors are similar to each other, however, many of us don’t live in places like that. ¶Still, though, for those who walk in the ways of God life does end up being better. We have a sense of hope, an appreciation of the gifts and grace of others, and we are more willing to share our resources with those around us, near and far. That kind of generosity can be seen as stupid, even dangerous, as folks take advantage of us. While we act for the sake of others, our primary motivation is to walk in the ways of God. As we offer ourselves to others, we find a more lasting prosperity than money can provide or buy. ¶May 27, 2024 ¶LCM