Proverbs 22:16 Poverty of spirit is a frightening end.

 James 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Many things are tolerated by society few are chosen by the wise. We are our brothers’ keeper whether we like it or not. Love your neighbors was the command of Jesus the very word of God made flesh. Even Solomon, who wrote most of the Proverbs and  was given great wisdom, in the end of his life turned from God. Great is the fall of those who believe and turn away. It is a warning to all of us. Poverty of Sprit is a frightening end. Carla

Proverbs 22:16

He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches,

And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.  (NKJV)

The last of the proverbs of Solomon in this collection deals with social justice. Ultimately, all human affairs are in God’s hands, even though at times the wicked prosper. God made both the poor and the rich (verse 2) and He will justly determine their destinies (24:12). The NKJV Study Bible

James 2:14-17

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 

Proverbs 28:22

A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,

And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.

Ecclesiastes 5:8

If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.

Proverbs 11:24

There is one who scatters, yet increases more;

And there is one who withholds more than is right,

But it leads to poverty.

This is the gift I received on my pilgrimage, walking the Camino de Santiago. I learned that my journey was not about “arrival”, or walking focused only on a “destination”, but the healing gift of reframing—and receiving—what it means to “be at home”. It was the invitation to open my eyes, to see, and embrace, the place where love dwells.
And I smile, remembering Laura Ingalls Wilder’s authenticity, “Home is the nicest word there is.”
So, let us begin here: This love Nouwen refers to, gives us a birthright gift of self. Every one of us—let me repeat, “every one of us”—arrives with our own gifted form, with the shape of our own sacred soul.
Parker Palmer observes, “Biblical faith calls it the image of God in which we are all created. Thomas Merton calls it true self. Quakers call it the inner light, or ‘that of God’ in every person. The humanist tradition calls it identity and integrity. No matter what you call it, it is a pearl of great price.”

It is true, there are many things that “take us away” from home—the feeling of “not being at home.” And not having a house isn't among them. I'm thinking of things such as anger, busyness, self-importance, self-doubt, unforgiveness, despair, frenzied consumerism, and bitterness. It is seldom sudden.
And heartbreakingly, now in our world, too many among us are being told “you are not at home here, because you don’t belong here.”
But in every instance of disconnect, there is this reality—and it’s easy to see how this new weight becomes the definition for our identity (and of the identity, of every person who is dishonored). 

Buckminster Fuller, he of geodesic dome fame, said that scarcity is about a “you-or-me world,” and sufficiency is about a “you-and-me world.” 

Let us remember: We are on this journey together.

I get it.  

If we begin with sufficiency, then perhaps what we “carry”—our home—is not stuff (or things or possessions) but rather opportunities.

Opportunities to be generous, big-hearted, kind, human.

Opportunities to be thoughtful, empathetic, and attentive.

Opportunities to offer hope.  And yes, even if the gift we give (or the light that shines) comes from a wounded or broken heart.

I have an idea... This week let's break the rules. The old rules demand that we obtain, consume, clutch, win at any cost—with no shame in hurting and demeaning others, and give only when it makes sense (or there is a payoff).

As a result, we see only what we want to see.

We do have a home—full of gifts and a light that shines. A place that anchors us and sustains us. And also, a birthplace and incubator for creating space, offering sanctuary and affirmation and generosity for those who are left out. So. What houses (encounter, gift of generosity or healing, conversation, helping hand, smile, hug, and yes, saying “no” to cruelty) can we put “our home” in today? Sabbath Moments