I'm BAD!

“And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone…

Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel. – Excerpt from Deuteronomy 34: 5-12

Moses was a BAD man.

Not bad meaning bad but bad meaning good.

Let’s think about this for a minute. He was the most humble man on earth while being one of a kind in the miracles that he did. And to top that off God presided over his funeral and buried him Himself!

That’s pretty ill.

But the key to everything that Moses did in these last four books of the Bible is the first thing that I mentioned.

His humility…

It was his humility that allowed him to follow God’s instructions so faithfully, it was his humility that allowed him to view his power as something to be used to serve others, it was his humility that gave him the patience to deal with Israel’s constant gripes and complaints.

Humility is what allowed him to be an instrument of God.

When you think about the people who have done great, positive change in the world they all have this most important characteristic. They are humble almost beyond reason.

Let’s see… here’s a quick list that comes to mind:

Gandhi…check

Martin Luther King Jr… check

Mother Theresa… check

The thing that these three great people had in common is that they lived to serve others, and in so doing they were able to wield great power for good.

Ok… so if you don’t like the whole vow of poverty idea remember that there are many different ways to serve. I have talked about Warren Buffett several times but he is a great example here. He and his wife agreed, before they got married, that the huge wealth they would amass would be given back to humanity. Bill and Melinda Gates too are doing this as well as many other fantastically rich folks.

The most important question of leadership is what is in your heart, not what is in your wallet.

Spiderman’s uncle told him that with great power comes great responsibility. Whether your power is in the form of money, talent, charisma, or vision, we should ask ourselves what our responsibility is. How can I use this power to help others? How can I be an instrument of good in the world?

It may seem sometimes like there is so much bad in the world that it is pointless to fight. But history has shown that the organized efforts of a few good people are more than a match for any evil that the world has to offer.

So let’s try to be like Moses… each and every day do the best that we can with what we have.

I’m willing to bet that you’ll still feel like the guy below by focusing on others before yourself.

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 32-34; Mark 15: 26-47

Smack!

Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God. There it will remain as a witness against you. For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you have been rebellious against the LORD while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die! – Deuteronomy 31: 26-27

I was a hard headed kid.

Ok maybe that’s not fair. After all I did turn out ok. But I was definitely one of those kids that must have been pretty hard to deal with. I was never rude or blatantly disobedient. I like to think that I was a charming young lad. But, when I wanted to do things my way, that’s how it went down.

I was riding in the car with my mom recently and we were talking about my childhood. She was telling me how challenging I was to deal with. Here’s one story.

When I was around ten years old I got an allowance from my Mom. My allowance was five dollars a week; but to get all of the five dollars I had to do all of my chores. So my mom made a contract with me. I got a certain amount for brushing my teeth everyday, taking a bath and all of the basic stuff. But the lion’s share of the allowance was dependent upon other chores like making my bed, taking out the trash, and washing dishes.

This arrangement went well at first; but somewhere down the line I determined that the five dollars wasn’t worth all of this hard work. Of course I brushed my teeth and took baths but this whole making my bed business… eh… it wasn’t for me.

So I looked at the breakdown and said hey… I can go without the dollar I’d get for this or that chore.

My mom knew that pure financial motivation wasn’t going to work with me when I happily accepted eighty cents one week.

Hahahaha…

Our happy arrangement ended pretty quickly. After that week I had to do the chores regardless.

Drats.

It’s pretty funny looking back on it now but it was instructive for me. I bet God looks at us sometimes with the same frustration that my mom had. After all, the things she was telling me to do would help prepare me to be a responsible adult some day.

Of course I didn’t see that at the time…

More often than not we know when we are living right and when we are living wrong. Are we doing what we can to spread love in the world? Are we following our calling in life? Is our labor bearing good fruit in the world?

I know one thing for sure… The blessings that come with a life dedicated to living right far out weigh the flashes of pleasure we get from living wrong.

After all, those things do have a way of coming back to bite us eventually.

So let’s all take a lesson from my hardheaded ten year old self. Decide now to do your best to be your best. Otherwise, life will smack you until you act right.

Cooold Blooooooded!

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 30-31; Mark 15: 1-25

The Blessing of Abraham

If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:

You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out… - Except from Deuteronomy 28: 1-14

When I was a kid I never liked Gospel music.

Gospel music was for old people. And I was not old. I liked Hip Hop, R&B and old Soul Music. I was even growing to love all that Luther that my mom made me listen to.

But Gospel? Nope.

It was just the opposite of cool ya know? They were always talking about the same things and all of the songs sounded the same.

Love God, praise God, thank God, God is wonderful, God is special.

Okaaaay… I get it.

Or so I thought.

It wasn’t until I became a semi-adult a few years back that I started to get the point. I was reading through the Bible for the first time in over ten years and discovering all of these new things about it and myself.

Even then I was reluctant to give Gospel music a chance.

Then I heard this song “Blessings of Abraham”. It was saying all these uplifting things about achieving your dreams and following your passions. It was so encouraging! Get your inheritance was the message.

And by inheritance they mean your dreams.

That’s such a cool way of looking at it. It’s already yours, and with faith you can go get it.

But what the heck is the Blessing of Abraham?

And then it clicked...

This song was about one of my favorite passages in the Bible! Deuteronomy 28: 1-14 talks about the blessing of obedience. This is essentially the extension of the promise that God made to Abraham. Stay on the right path and I got your back.

Pretty good deal.

This is the moment that I realized that Gospel music at its best is the Bible’s soundtrack.

So if you’re like me and frown upon Gospel music… give it a chance. You might find one day that it will help you get to where you want to be.

Peep this as you listen to the joint below. Enjoy.

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 28-29; Mark 14: 54-72

More Legal Hilarity

In this next installment of commentary by Clarence Mitchell Bible Attorney at Law I have some things that made me think and some things that made me laugh. I’m sure you will do the same.

No one born of a forbidden marriage nor any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even down to the tenth generation. – Deuteronomy 23: 2

Makes sense. Gotta keep the Promised Land in the family.

Do not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. Do not abhor an Egyptian, because you lived as an alien in his country. The third generation of children born to them may enter the assembly of the LORD. Deuteronomy 23: 7-8

I like this a lot… especially the bit about Egypt. Yes, when the time came for Israel to leave Egypt they had been enslaved, but we must not forget the kindness that the earlier pharaoh showed to Joseph and his family. He gave them prime real estate to start a new life during the famine.

Respect given.

When you are encamped against your enemies, keep away from everything impure. If one of your men is unclean because of a nocturnal emission, he is to go outside the camp and stay there. But as evening approaches he is to wash himself, and at sunset he may return to the camp. – Deuteronomy 23: 9-11

The penalty for a wet dream is a full day outside of the camp. Not to mention the embarrassment of the entire nation knowing you had one.

Hahaha rough game.

Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement. – Deuteronomy 23: 12-13

I remember having to do this in cub scouts. Yes… I was a cub scout. Webelos Scouts stand up! Unfortunately I was not gangsta enough to be a boy scout. Nope. Not me.

If a slave has taken refuge with you, do not hand him over to his master. Let him live among you wherever he likes and in whatever town he chooses. Do not oppress him. – Deuteronomy 23: 15

I love this. Do unto others… yes you know the rest.

Do not charge your brother interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest. – Deuteronomy 23: 19

Interest can easily become slavery… and clearly God already delivered them from that. Great great great!

If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the LORD your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin .But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty. Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the LORD your God with your own mouth.

Word is Bond son!

Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns. Pay him his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it. Otherwise he may cry to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.- Deuteronomy 24: 14-15

I love that God is a champion of the poor and needy.

When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. Deuteronomy 24: 19

Here’s another one for the poor. I really like this consistent message of charity and generosity. It is clear that God wants a portion of what we earn and create to be given to those who need it. It is also clear that God says that the more generous we are, the more we will have, because God can trust us to do His work by helping others.

Food for thought. Listen up Glenn Beck!

Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain. Deuteronomy 25: 4

Here’s another one about generosity but this time for an animal doing labor. How well do we treat animals? What is our responsibility toward animals? It seems here that we are to respect and honor the blessings and sacrifice that they provide for us.

Now I leave you with some high comedy…

And the runner up goes to…

If two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from his assailant, and she reaches out and seizes him by his private parts, you shall cut off her hand. Show her no pity. Deuteronomy 25: 11-12

How ridiculous is this? Of with her hand!!! Haha! hilarious…

Drumroll… and here’s the winner.

If brothers are living together and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband's brother shall take her and marry her and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her. The first son she bears shall carry on the name of the dead brother so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.

However, if a man does not want to marry his brother's wife, she shall go to the elders at the town gate and say, "My husband's brother refuses to carry on his brother's name in Israel. He will not fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to me." Then the elders of his town shall summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying, "I do not want to marry her," his brother's widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals, spit in his face and say, "This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother's family line." That man's line shall be known in Israel as The Family of the Unsandaled. Deuteronomy 25: 5-10

I was reading this at a fine dining establishment near my spot that has Wi-Fi. As I reached the end of this passage I laughed out loud so loudly and for so long that I interrupted everyone’s meal.

Spit in his face!!! Hahaha

Awesome.

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 23-25: Mark 14: 1-26

More Fun with the Laws

Ok… I’m reading entirely too many hilarious and thought provoking laws so… it’s time for another installment of legal commentary by Clarence Mitchell Bible Attorney at Law.

Enjoy.

“When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you…” – Deuteronomy 20:1

This is fresh. So at the beginning of my copy of the Art of War by Sun Tzu I will write “bring my faith in God to battle with me”. I like this.

“However, in the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them… Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God. – Deuteronomy 20: 16-18

Good gracious!!! Games are NOT being played not one bit.

Ok Here’s how we can flip it. There are many adversaries on the path of purpose; fear, doubt, insecurity… they must be eradicated when they surface otherwise they will cause us to stumble and fall.

“When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees of the field people, that you should besiege them?” Deuteronomy 20: 19

Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater. You know those people who “find God” or, all of the sudden, are super passionate about some dream or goal and totally cut all of the old people out of their lives?

That’s no bueno. We have all arrived at the present for good and bad reasons. Leave the bad but keep the good.

“When you go to war against your enemies and the LORD your God delivers them into your hands and you take captives, if you notice among the captives a beautiful woman and are attracted to her, you may take her as your wife. Bring her into your home and have her shave her head, trim her nails and put aside the clothes she was wearing when captured. After she has lived in your house and mourned her father and mother for a full month, then you may go to her and be her husband and she shall be your wife. If you are not pleased with her, let her go wherever she wishes. You must not sell her or treat her as a slave, since you have dishonored her. – Deuteronomy 21: 10-14

You KNOW homie is not feelin her after all of that. You’ve killed all the men in her life, taken her from her home and removed all the stuff that made her fly…

I’m sure her sparkling personality won’t shine through in a month’s time… but aside from this here’s my take:

When it comes to marrying anything in your life, person or purpose, strip away the decoration and look at what’s inside. Crap wrapped up in a pretty box with a pretty bow is still crap. It’s like fast food. It may taste good going down, but once it gets inside it will poison you.

And don’t blame anyone else for your mistake. You are responsible. Take your lumps as they may come.

“They shall say to the elders, "This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a profligate and a drunkard." Then all the men of his town shall stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.” Deuteronomy 21: 20-21

And y’all feel bad for that bad kid who got spanked in the grocery store. Little man got off easy.

“A woman must not wear men's clothing, nor a man wear women's clothing, for the LORD your God detests anyone who does this.” – Deuteronomy 22: 5

Hilarious! Isn’t “detest” just entirely too strong a word here? God must be FURIOUS during Halloween. But how does the Good Book go from that verse straight into this next one?

If you come across a bird's nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young. You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life. – Deuteronomy 21: 6-7

This is profound. If you take the mother then the whole family dies. If you just take the eggs the mother can lay more eggs. This is a metaphor for life. Living things must perish for us to live. We need to take the time to respect and honor that sacrifice and be smart about it.

If we continue to recklessly destroy the world to satisfy our every whim we will be left with a world not fit for life. There will be no air to breathe or food to eat. The world will be here for a good long while. But will we be here to enjoy it? It is up to us to determine our fate.

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 20-22: Mark 13: 21-37

Role Models

The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, "You are not to go back that way again." He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers – excerpt from Deuteronomy 17: 14-20

I grew up in the 80s and 90s during the golden age of Hip-Hop and basketball. As a boy I remember there being this constant discussion of role models. Either folks were complaining about a lack of role models or they were trying to impose this label on folks who had no desire to wear it.

Charles Barkley (a huge basketball star at the time) famously said that he was not a role model and folks wanted to act like he had betrayed all of the children across the globe.

Silly.

I was really fortunate in this respect. I didn’t have to look outside my house to find great role models. My parents and my older sister were heroes to me.

But I too also looked at basketball players and rappers as examples. One such person that I looked up to a lot was Chuck D from Public Enemy.

My first memories of Chuck D were when my Stepfather started taking me to school. I was about nine years old at the time and Public Enemy released the album “Fear of a Black Planet”.

I was amazed.

When we weren’t listening to Luther Vandross (a whole different post) this album was on constant loop. The sounds were amazing and his cadence was captivating but most of all his words were revolutionary to me.

He was talking about black pride, self respect, taking care of the community, respecting women… It was great; but, there was so much that I didn’t understand. And that’s where my Stepdad came in. We talked at length about Chuck’s words and everything else in the world. He challenged me to come up with my own answers.

Through the marriage of pop culture and nurturing parents I learned how to critically think. I learned to become the man that I am today.

The passage above is interesting because it identifies a pattern in all great leaders.

The King (or Queen for that matter) is a person who lives modestly, doesn’t accumulate much more than what they need, and stays connected to others by humbly grounding themselves in the life affirming principles that gained them their success.

My heroes also dedicate themselves and their resources to the world. They love others by giving.

I am thankful that I was able to find role models and leaders in my life. As a child they were in my family and in the culture. Now they include my friends and other great individuals who use what they have to make the world a better place.

There are kings and queens all around us. Some of them are our family, friends and neighbors; others are titans of business and culture.

It is up to us to recognize the ones who’s hearts have not been led astray…

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 17-19: Mark 13: 1-20

Ancient Advice for the World's Economic Woes

At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the LORD's time for canceling debts has been proclaimed…

If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. – Excerpt from Deuteronomy 15: 1-11

What would the world would be like if we followed this policy?

Yes I know, there are some details to work out, but it is an interesting concept. If lenders knew that their loans would have a maximum term of seven years, after which the loan would be dissolved, how would that change lending practices?

It seems to me that folks would lend smaller amounts and there would be less money in the system. But that’s not really a bad thing is it? Money created by credit isn’t “real” money anyway. It is value created by trust in the borrower. And we saw in September of 2008 what happens when that trust goes away.

That fake credit money disappears.

One thing is certain here. We would be forced to live closer to our means. And on the flip side, there would be less incentive for the hustlers to get over on borrowers.

The other interesting part is the focus on helping the poor. It says “be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs.”

Counterintuitive right?

Not necessarily. Muhammad Yunus and his bank won the 2006 Nobel Prize in Economics for his lending to the poor. He created micro loans that helped millions of Bangladeshis (mostly women) buy phones, cows, and the little things that they needed to get their small businesses started. One phone lending program had a 98% payback rate!

Often times the poor around us don’t need handouts, but just a little helping hand. However, it seems like we have a tendency to lend with so many strings attached that the borrower becomes a slave to the debt.

And before we pass too much judgment on banks let us not forget that we sometimes do this in our daily lives. Do you know someone who only gives when they know that they will get the same or more in return? This could be money but also time, favors, energy, help, or love…

Odds are that you do, and if you don’t, maybe that person is you… I know I have done this once or thrice.

But what’s the point of all of this? Why bring up this old scripture. Clearly it doesn’t fit today’s world right?

Maybe it does. The message of generosity, forgiveness, and redemption is a powerful one. If one banker in Bangladesh can improve the lives of six million people with an average loan of $200, what more can be done?

It looks like that old line about the mustard seed is true…

"I assure you, if you had faith as small as a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, 'move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible." – Mark 17: 20-21

More prosperity from more generosity…who’d have imagined…



Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 14-16; Mark 12: 28-44

I'm Finally Starting to Get It

Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, and so that you may live long in the land that the LORD swore to your forefathers to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey. -Deuteronomy 11: 8-9

Am I the only one who things that Deuteronomy is starting to sound pretty redundant?

Love God, focus on God, remember God, don’t forget what God did for you and your forefathers.

Geez.

But I’m finally starting to get it now. This book is a recap for Israel. They went through the generations of slavery in Egypt. They made it through forty years of wandering in the desert. And now they are just across the river from the land that was promised to the OG Godfather Abraham.

They are about to achieve their dream.

Have you ever watched those E! True Hollywood stories about celebrities who have fallen from grace?

The best ones I have seen are about the ones who fell and resurrected themselves somehow. They always have one of those “if I knew then what I knew now” moments that made them want to go back in time and smack their younger selves.

It seems like God is trying to prevent this from happening to Israel. He seems to be saying don’t forget what got you here.

That’s so very hard to do.

Greatness is being humble enough to know what got you where you are and the ability to stay true to that.

This will be important for all of us. As we move forward and reach each new milestone, take a moment to remember how you got there.

This is why I love those award show moments. For someone to reach the mountain top and declare to the world that God got them there… that’s such a profound statement.

It’s not just a statement of faith, but also a statement of humility and focus.

I’m taking notes.

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 11-13; Mark 12: 1-27

Thankful

When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. – Deuteronomy 6: 10-12

One of my goals this year is to spend some quality time with God each morning. The idea is to wake up and chill with God for several minutes and talk about a few things.

The first thing I am supposed to do is list off all of the things that I am thankful for: God, family, friends, good health, love, life, not being hungry…

You get the idea.

Well that didn’t happen this morning. I woke up earlier than expected after realizing that I broke this machine I am using to heal my ankle. (I used my MacGuyver skills later in the day to fix it. I didn’t even need to use the rubberband and paper clip… just electrical tape. I’m awesome.)

So clearly the day was not off to the best start.

I got to work and it seemed like everything was extra annoying. By the time the work day came to a close I was not in the best of spirits. I was absurdly tired. All I wanted to do was get out of there, go home and take a nap.

I happily got on the bus, promptly fell asleep, and with a bit of grace woke up just in time to get off at my spot. I dragged my feet as I walked the usual route home. And finally, after what seemed like an epic journey of Exodus proportions I made it home.

Hallelujah!

Clumsily, I plopped down on my bed and it welcomed me with open arms. I had finally been reunited with my best friend. I interrupted our meeting just long enough set the alarm on my phone and then promptly returned my full attention to her.

Nap time was glorious.

I woke up a couple hours later and jumped on twitter to see what was going on in the world.

One of the popular topics of the day was “smile”. Intrigued, I clicked on the link to see what folks in the twitter world were saying about smiles.

It was beautiful.

People from all over were commenting about what makes them smile. So I started thinking of what makes me smile: God, family, friends, love, a beautiful sunset… so many things.

Just thinking about these things made me feel so refreshed. I felt brand new.

But then I thought about how I felt earlier in the day. Why was I so irritated? And then I remembered… I missed that morning chill time with the Homie.

It’s amazing how perspective matters so much. If we remind ourselves each and everyday of the blessings that we have received, then we start to see the world in a totally different way. We see beauty in the common place, love in the eyes of strangers, and opportunities in our struggles.

That’s one of the things that my time with God in the morning does for me. It gives God the opportunity to remind me of all of the blessings He has given me.

I may have missed it this morning, but you can bet that I will not miss it tomorrow.

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 5-7; Mark 11: 1-18