Scripture: Jeremiah 11:16
The Lord called you a thriving olive tree
with fruit beautiful in form.
But with the roar of a mighty storm
he will set it on fire, sale
and its branches will be broken.

Thought for the Day: I think, unhealthy like too many passages in the Bible, viagra sale this message from Jeremiah has been interpreted to mean that if we do something God disapproves of, we’ll be punished. But this entire theology of reward and punishment is archaic. We need to divest ourselves of the idea that God is a Supreme Judge, and worse, that the Supreme Judge always disapproves of our actions. Have you ever noticed that? Most religions go on and on about how God loves us, but then if we do something wrong (and “wrong” is very broadly defined in very limited human terms) then suddenly, God’s love is punitive. We’ve turned God into an angry, abusive parent. It’s unhealthy and insulting.

The problem Jeremiah illustrates here is not that God punishes us when we’re bad, but rather that we do it to ourselves. Humans constantly do things to disturb our conscious connection with That Which Is and Ever Shall Be. Our branches are broken not because we somehow pissed off God, but because we completely ignore our built-in connection to God—the Christ, for Christians, but a connection that has many names.

We are the mighty storm, setting fire to everything in our paths. Can we please stop blaming God for the fact humans are so often insensitive, arrogant, selfish jerks? How about taking responsibility for our own actions? More importantly, how about understanding that we are beautiful, and that we have the ability to bear beautiful fruit, every single one of us, no matter our color, religion, gender, sexual preference, or any other thing we mistakenly think separates us from each other and God. We are one, people. We are one people. All of us, united with each other, with the stars and planets, with God. Let’s do more than simply “believe” these things are true. Let’s start living like we know we’re connected to God. Because it’s only in living the connection that the really beautiful stuff happens. Anything else is lip service, a broken branch hanging from a beautiful, perfect tree.

Prayer: I am beautiful, in every single way. You are beautiful in every single way. All of creation is beautiful, in every single way. Praise be to the Creator of all reality, for beauty is everywhere. Now remind me these things are true, God, and remind me often. Amen.