WEDNESDAY, September 1 (David Pendleton Oakerhater)

Acts 12:18-25. Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a public address to them. The people kept shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a mortal!” And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

Maybe this petty little king suffered a heart attack at the very moment the people were shouting “The voice of a god!” The early Christians interpreted his fate as punishment from God because “he had not given the glory to God.”

However we interpret it, we do well to remember that many people play at being God, as Herod did. It is so easy! And one need not be a Herod to do it. One need be only a plain, ordinary person who likes to tell other people how to live their lives. This is the essence of playing God: to demand that others accept our will for them. What makes things worse is that there’s always someone who wants us to do the thinking and planning for them.

This may be everyone’s number one temptation, to play God to others. Be on your guard against it, for it is easy and it feels good. (1962)

PRAY for the Diocese of Grafton (New South Wales, Australia)

Ps 38 * 119:25-48; Job 12:1; 14:1-22; John 8:47-59

View the daily Lectionary Readings at Satucket.com.
Or view the Bible passages at Biblegateway.com.

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Sep 01, 2010 at 7:36 am

Written by Steve Doutt,

This is a very good meditation. On the one hand we want to give our power up. On the other hand we want to have power over others.

Today I am asking myself, "Why do I do these things?" (Other than that it is easy and feels good).

...

Sep 01, 2010 at 8:14 am

Written by RoseAnn Jolly,

Another way we take the power from God is to add to scripture our own Interpretation. The scripture clearly says an angel of the Lord took Herod's life. That is very clear - Herod did not die of a heart attack if you believe the God-inspired writings of the Bible. It's a constant stru*gle for us to not twist the meaning of the scriptures versus listening to God reveal the truth.

...

Sep 01, 2010 at 8:17 am

Written by Philip M. McGhee,

It is an unfortunate temptation, especially of political leaders,to play God. Priests also fall into this temptation,when they get involved in the political order. Priest-politicians are usually disasters,spritually and politically. The kingdom of God is here, but not in its fullness. It is not of this world. Berdayev said somewhere that we are not here to produce heaven on earth,but to make sure earth does not become hell.

...

Sep 01, 2010 at 9:25 am

Written by Andrea,

I would love to send this meditation to Glenn Beck. And to give him the ears to hear it and the heart to receive it.

But since I can't do that, I pray that I may resist the temptation either to play God or to make someone or something into a false God in my life.

the plank in our eyes

Sep 01, 2010 at 9:45 am

Written by Mike Kurtz,

We must beware that our own political biases not become a plank in our eyes. As I was about to read Andrea's comments, I was thinking of someone on the opposite side of the political spectrum who might be well advised to assimilate those words.

Acts 5

Sep 01, 2010 at 1:05 pm

Written by Tom Pritchard,

I guess I have less sympathy for Herod than I do for Ananias and Sapphira but it does amaze me how much the "loving God" of the new covenant established by Jesus was smoting people just for laughs and giggles and to scare people into converting to "the way." Or so the author of Luke would have us believe. Interesting also that the name Ananias was used in Chapter 5 and then again in chapter 9 to help Saul recover his sight. It obviously shouldn't be the same person, if the chapters are relating sequential events, however it shows a lack of creativity on the author of Luke's part.

-1

Power-Over vs. Power-Under

Sep 01, 2010 at 11:38 pm

Written by Jared,

But if we as individuals, and as the Church, do not "play God" to some extent, we will have no social gospel (because who are we to judge groups and society?). Maybe there is a distinction at play here. Is anybody else familiar with the distinction between "power-over" and "power-under"? "Power-over" is when people use power to control and often manipulate the marginalized, the needy and the oppressed. "Power-under" is when people use power to help and assist the marginalized, the needy and the oppressed. Maybe the criticism here should only be against acting like God for 'power-over' purposes and not 'power-under'. Grouping all types of attempts to influence others seems too simplistic to me. After all, there are many Old Testament prophets and who were clearly "playing God", but for very good purposes.

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