Author: Erin Newton

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 22:15-17
15 “Does it make you a king
     to have more and more cedar?
 Did not your father have food and drink?
     He did what was right and just,
     so all went well with him.
 16 He defended the cause of the poor and needy,
     and so all went well.
 Is that not what it means to know me?”
     declares the Lord.
 17 “But your eyes and your heart
     are set only on dishonest gain,
 on shedding innocent blood
     and on oppression and extortion.”

Reflection: What Makes a King?
By Erin Newton

Money can get things done. Wealth is usually indicative of power. But does having more really make someone a king?

God criticizes Jehoahaz (Shallum) king of Judah for his blatant pursuit of wealth while ignoring the poor and needy. He did not build this wealth in ways that were honorable or right; God calls it “dishonest gain” and “extortion.” This leader used the oppression and dismissal of others to enrich himself.

Jehoahaz is compared to his father Josiah, who is recorded as the king who initiated reforms and religious purification. Josiah defended the cause of the poor and needy.

Both men were made king in the same way—through bloodline. Judah operated under a monarchist government. They didn’t just use wealth to gain their place of authority. There was no bribing of officials or the community to “gain their votes.” So why does God ask if “having more cedar” made Jehoahaz a king?

There are leaders and there are Leaders, the trick is knowing the difference.

Jehoahaz and the dozen or more men before him inherited the leadership of Judah. While there are stories of kingship being granted to younger sons due to death, deception, or divine appointment, Judah followed the general rule that the eldest son became king. But not all kings were the same.

The two books of Kings reveal the ebb and flow of morality in the royal lineage. They were all kings in the same sense, but God does not view them equally.

What makes a king a king? God says kings are those who defend the cause of the poor and the needy. Is that not what it means to know me? True kings are those who know God. Their lives, their efforts, their causes, where they put their money, all these things reveal who is truly a king after God’s heart.

Most of us do not live under monarchies, but all of us are subject to some form of authority, whether it is civil government or church leadership. Some of us are the leaders in organizations, churches, institutions, or departments.

What makes a leader a leader? Knowing God. Knowing that is put into action.

Let us beware of those who pursue personal gains and assume that tenacity is the mark of leadership. Let us beware of our own proclivities to ignore the needs of others when our greed tempts us otherwise. 

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
With my whole heart I seek you; let me not stray from your commandments. — Psalm 119.10

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.


​Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 22 (Listen 5:07)
2 Thessalonians 2 (Listen 2:32)

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Read more about Wealth is a Dangerous Tool
Take James’s words to heart…Let them inspire humility and respectful fear. If wealth is a tool, it is a dangerous one

Wealth is a Dangerous Tool

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 15:19–20
19 Therefore this is what the Lord says:
“If you repent, I will restore you
     that you may serve me;
 if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,
     you will be my spokesman.
 Let this people turn to you,
     but you must not turn to them.
 20 I will make you a wall to this people,
     a fortified wall of bronze;
 they will fight against you
     but will not overcome you,
 for I am with you
     to rescue and save you,”
 declares the Lord.

Reflection: The Wall or the Wrecking Ball
By Erin Newton

Standing up for what you believe in conjures up images of stalwart protesters in a line. But it could be the minority vote in the church or the quivering voice that steps up to the microphone during a denominational meeting saying, “What we’ve done is wrong.”

After hearing the vivid reality of Judah’s inevitable destruction, Jeremiah interrupts. “Lord, you understand…Remember me…Care for me.” Despite the clear declaration of judgment—undoubtedly their sinfulness demanded it—Jeremiah leans into the mercy of God.

Jeremiah is our “weeping prophet” no less. But he is steadfast in his confidence that God is not only just but also merciful.

God responds through his trusted merciful and compassionate character. As long as Jeremiah seeks truth by speaking worthy words (funnily, God is clear that they are not worthless words), then God would make him a wall.

A wall?! What a strange image. God doesn’t say here he will make Jeremiah a likable hero. He isn’t making him a shade-giving tree or fruit-bearing vine. He will be a wall.

Walls keep people out of where they might want to go. To the person, walls are obstacles. They are always “in our way.” Walls tend to get graffitied and pushed on. (To be clear, walls built by humans to segregate or harm other humans are the worst of walls. But this is a divinely built, metaphorical “wall.”)

As a wall, Jeremiah would stand against his peers as they pushed against him, trying to make him crumble. They might even try to force their words, their ideas, on him in hopes he would move aside so they could carry on their sinful ways. They were headed on a path (to destruction) and Jeremiah as a wall was meant to keep them from advancing.

God doesn’t sugarcoat what it will be like for the prophet. It will be hard.

We might fantasize what it would be like to stand up for what we believe in. Will we be the unlikely superhero or star of a biography? The reality is that we are likely to be pushed against, tempted to cave in to peers, and join Jeremiah in lamenting for our world.

In a very real way, we may find ourselves not as the wall standing for God’s truth but as the wrecking ball, trying to tear down our fellow brother or sister.

Are you standing for truth or actively tearing down?

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
I restrain my feet from every evil way, that I may keep your word. — Psalm 119.101

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.


​Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 15 (Listen 3:49)
Galatians 6 (Listen 2:18)

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Readers’ Choice starts in September, so it’s time to share your favorite posts of the year. Tell us your faves via email, direct message, or the linked form.

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Read more about Jeremiah, the Unpatriotic Prophet
Christians who see deeply into the problems of their country will often feel pressured not to speak about it for fear of being “unpatriotic” or “disrespectful.”

Jeremiah, the Unpatriotic Prophet

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 8:7-8
7 Even the stork in the sky
     knows her appointed seasons,
 and the dove, the swift and the thrush
     observe the time of their migration.
 But my people do not know
     the requirements of the Lord.
8 How can you say, “We are wise,
     for we have the law of the Lord,”
 when actually the lying pen of the scribes
     has handled it falsely?

Reflection: Having vs. Knowing God’s Word
By Erin Newton

How many times a day do we read a post or article claiming to be really telling you the truth? But wait! They have the real answer!

We are a culture that is bent on convincing others that everything has been a lie, and the only solution is to trust this person who has this special knowledge. Even now, why should you believe what I’m typing?

What does it mean to be wise? How can we know if truth and wisdom have been handled falsely?

During Jeremiah’s time, the people spouted their confidence: “We are wise. We have the law. Isn’t that enough?” What they didn’t say is that they were sorry or had done wrong. They said, “Peace,” as if everything was fine. But in that time, things were anything but fine. They were anything but innocent. They had anything but wisdom.

God heralded his judgment: “They clung to deceitfulness; they trusted their own ways…like a charging horse going into battle.” They might have had the word of God, but they did not know its requirements (v. 7). We know from other texts that the people deprived the poor, acted unjustly, worshiped other gods, and felt no shame in the midst of it all.

When the community was hurting, the religious leaders would “dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious” (v. 11). Yes, they had the word of God but their handling of it was a lie.

How can we, today, avoid this egregious error? How do we know if those who say they have the right answer are actually wise people?

The proud statement that they had the law is important. They possessed the law. They probably read it from time to time. They might even have it out for people to see. But did they even know what it required?

Having and knowing are different things. You can possess a Bible, but it makes no difference if you don’t know what’s in it. You can display the Ten Commandments in a public building, but does anyone know what they require?

What they really needed, and we need, is one step further: doing. And I think that is how we know if someone is handling truth wisely—they have truth, know truth, and do truth. It must be all three.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
The earth, O Lord, is full of your love; instruct me in your statutes. — Psalm 119.64

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.


​Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 8 (Listen 3:52)
James 4 (Listen 2:25)

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