EZRA’S QUANDARY “Put your money where your mouth is” is a common expression most of us have used more than once. It’s origin is attributed to the Irish and is believed to be connected to gambling, particularly card playing. The idea is that if you're convinced of something, then back it up with some bucks, some muscle, for you can bluff only so long. If, for example, you have what you think is a winning poker hand, staring your opponent down will work temporarily, but at some point you will need financial back up which you will then brazenly flaunt on the table before you. In the case of the expression just mentioned, to “put” translates to “ante up”, or to put money in the pot. There’s a possibility that the Irish really shouldn’t take all the credit for this expression. Maybe we need to go back a little further than Irish history on this one. Ezra is our man. Scripture shows us that there’s a lesson he learned with a little embarrassment and trembling along with it. Ezra 8:22-23 “For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and calvary to accompany us and protect us from the enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king that our God would protect all those who worshiped Him, and that disaster could come only to those who had forsaken Him. So we fasted and begged God to take care of us.” In surveying the book of Ezra, you might wonder why he is included in the minor prophets because much of his book has to do with genealogy, and not one which readers can easily relate to. For me, the two verses that are the most telling are the ones above. Ezra was indeed a prophet. He was a scholar of religion and lived his life dedicated to teaching the revelation of God. The reigning King Artaxerxes had given his blessing on the temple restoration project and Ezra had gotten himself into a fix, or rather his mouth had. He had bragged about God’s protection of the righteous: the righteous referring to himself and the committed Jews. Nothing wrong with that, but he began doubting his own words and backed himself into a corner. It’s a natural thing. Faith requires that we believe even though there may not be a glimmer of physical proof in sight. I’m a practicing example. Once you’ve put it out there, your faith will be tested every time. For Ezra’s part, just in case God needed a little motivating, he went on a fast and pleaded with God to come through for him in his self-created quandary. As it turned out, Ezra realized that no Levites had volunteered to take part in what was supposed to be a mutual spiritual endeavor, and in time with some clever persuading additional men came forward, most particularly from the absent Levite tribe. Did God take care of them? Of course. And Ezra had no need to doubt. Neither do we. When we speak forth words of faith we are also taking our stand at the same time; putting our money where our mouth is. |
