Let's hear it for the pope! You heard me correctly. As we get ready to celebrate Martin Luther's attempt to reform the Holy Christian Church on earth, let's appreciate Pope Francis's efforts to reform the Roman Catholic Church by giving the German “Bishop of Bling” a time out for repentance. Francis apparently considers living out a vow of poverty and responding to Christ's command to disciple all the nations (billions of whom live in abject need) is not consistent with spending $42,000,000 renovating one's private residence, installing a $20,000 bath-tub or a $30,000 table.
     This news makes me feel good for a couple reasons: first, it is nice to see the leadership in Rome start to reform some of the excesses that survived after the Lutheran and Roman Catholic Reformations of the 16th century; and, second, I am a sinner and I sometimes like the spotlight to shine on other people's greed because then mine won't look so bad. In light of the great Reformation truth, that we are saved by grace through faith apart from our works, so that no one can boast, we are free to serve God joyfully with our time, and talents, and treasures. He wants each of us to respond to His love in Christ by managing our time, talents, and treasures to His glory. While I will never have $42,000,000 to squander on my earthly home, I have not always given as sacrificially as I could to support local, regional, national, and international missions and ministries to share the Good News of salvation by grace through faith in Christ Jesus!
     How about you? Can the pope's reformation efforts lead you to contemplate what bling you may do without to seek the lost and disciple the saved?