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-======  ... ======
+====== Trouble and Honor ... ======
-Monday, Oct 2, 2017.
+Monday, Oct 2, 2017. Human life can face trouble. Often, our trouble is caused by human affairs. We live in
+a community, with different strengths, different priorities, different perceptions ... Community can cause
+trouble. Some of us love to fight, to hit others whenever they like. Others carry out their own type of
+manipulation. Responsibility, systematic approaches to build something up ... there are so many layers of
+our daily activity. Trouble can come in the middle of all of this ... when you are giving your best to
+move things forward.
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-**   ...**
+**  Justice ...**
+The question of who is strong and who has what type of power is one of the underlying
+questions of any community. The questions of justice is another good question, linked to the
+question of power. But before we get into a deeper discussion, read Psalm 4:
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-To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! 2 O men,1 how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? 3 But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him. 4 Be angry,2 and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. 5 Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. 6 There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” 7 You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. 8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
+To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! 2 O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? 3 But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him. 4 Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. 5 Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. 6 There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!” 7 You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. 8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.
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  (Psalm 4)
+One of the key features of David's character is that he is searching for the justice of
+the eternal God, the Lord. He is searching the deep joy which God gives. God is the God of full truth, of
+deep love, of service and support, of clarity, of appreciation and honour.
+{{ 2017:2017_10_02_2.jpg}}
-{{ 2017:2017_10_02_2.jpg}}
+** Honour ...**
-**  ...**
+The honor which God gives is a special kind of honor. We can see it in the life of Jesus. He takes humans
+serious. He honours everyone - from the poor widow to all the fishermen and women around him. The honour
+he gives is not linked to money, nor to power. It is linked to humanity. It is given to recognize the
+dignity and value each and every human is given by the eternal Lord.
+Men can love vain words. They might love to exercise power, to be cruel to each other or do dwell
+in the feeling of being on top. But all this will not lead to humanity, to become a human. David prays,
+in a situation where he seems to be crushed, to be held down. He talks about trusting the Lord,
+trusting that God will help, that God is in power after all.
+We are invited to turn to the Lord with our trouble. Let us search our honor in him, to be human the way
+he wanted humans to be from the very beginning. He wants us to share his truth, his love, his dedication,
+his clarity, his service, his appreciation and his honor. This is a fantastic way to go!
 (Roland Potthast)
 [[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/en/doku.php/topics_collection_ix|... more texts]]
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