KINGS
by Bob Wickizer
Scripture: 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 2 Samuel 5:9-10, Psalms 48:1-14, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Mark 6:1-13
Title: Kings
Author: Bob Wickizer
Text: 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10, Psalm 48, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Mark 6:1-13
Every now and then a matter of national or global importance arises (such as 9/11/2001) or an auspicious date comes up such as Dios de la Muerte (Day of the Dead which is typically a huge celebration) but some rural villages in Central America gather every year to read the list of the names of their husbands, fathers, and brothers who became part of the "Desaparecidos" (the disappeared) at the hands of the government. I will never forget saying mass in Spanish at a Guatemalan mission where St. Anne's, Annapolis Maryland had started a school, a health clinic, and an Iglesia Episcopal in a high mountain village. Out of 1200 people gathered there for their first high school graduation ever, were no men of military age. The missing demographic from 18 to 50 years of age was plain to see. They were disappeared. It was heartbreaking.
This week, on July 4, 2024, I was compelled by the Holy Spirit to set aside our readings assigned for today, and speak from my heart about a matter of historic and life-changing significance - the question of kings.
First a riddle: Who is the dictator-king who increased a nation's GDP by 600% in 10 years, increased literacy from 25% to 90% in ten years, provided free health care for all citizens, free education through graduate levels, a basic post retirement income, pre-natal care for mothers, a living minimum wage, and who brought a tent with them on all official state visits? ....... Oh, and in his later years of reign, he was addicted to cocaine.... Muammar Gaddafi. By all objective measures, he was good for the people. Libya has never done any better before or after.My point here is that there can be good kings. It is possible, just not very likely.
Now I must give you my mathematical theory of kings. It has to do with income and degrees of separation. Imagine that we make a graph of income or net worth on the ho ...
Author: Bob Wickizer
Text: 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10, Psalm 48, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Mark 6:1-13
Every now and then a matter of national or global importance arises (such as 9/11/2001) or an auspicious date comes up such as Dios de la Muerte (Day of the Dead which is typically a huge celebration) but some rural villages in Central America gather every year to read the list of the names of their husbands, fathers, and brothers who became part of the "Desaparecidos" (the disappeared) at the hands of the government. I will never forget saying mass in Spanish at a Guatemalan mission where St. Anne's, Annapolis Maryland had started a school, a health clinic, and an Iglesia Episcopal in a high mountain village. Out of 1200 people gathered there for their first high school graduation ever, were no men of military age. The missing demographic from 18 to 50 years of age was plain to see. They were disappeared. It was heartbreaking.
This week, on July 4, 2024, I was compelled by the Holy Spirit to set aside our readings assigned for today, and speak from my heart about a matter of historic and life-changing significance - the question of kings.
First a riddle: Who is the dictator-king who increased a nation's GDP by 600% in 10 years, increased literacy from 25% to 90% in ten years, provided free health care for all citizens, free education through graduate levels, a basic post retirement income, pre-natal care for mothers, a living minimum wage, and who brought a tent with them on all official state visits? ....... Oh, and in his later years of reign, he was addicted to cocaine.... Muammar Gaddafi. By all objective measures, he was good for the people. Libya has never done any better before or after.My point here is that there can be good kings. It is possible, just not very likely.
Now I must give you my mathematical theory of kings. It has to do with income and degrees of separation. Imagine that we make a graph of income or net worth on the ho ...
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