Okay, so I’m still afraid of my parents. Or people who act like them. Having a person in authority (worse, a friend!) express disappointment in me is devastating, sometimes paralyzing me into inactivity to avoid the risk. The worst possible insult to my ego is to have someone guilt me. What do we read in this Sunday’s scriptures?
Isaiah sings the Song of the Vineyard (5:1-7) as a dramatic reprimand of Israel by Yahweh. “I gave it my best, did all the right things,” claims the Vinedresser, “but had a harvest of wild & sour grapes!” He “expected justice, but saw bloodshed; righteousness, but heard a cry!” If that’s how you thank me, I’ll just abandon the whole thing…..
Psalm 80 is a remorseful plea for God to “turn again” to care yet again for the vine brought long ago from Egypt. From the root of Jesse springs Immanuel, the Vine.
Don’t you cringe when a Parent-figure recites all the things you should be grateful for? The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews was probably NOT trying to shame her readers, but was reminding them of a mighty holy-history for those who endured. (11:29-12:20) These heroes of old serve to bear out the steadfast love of God, and to indicate that God’s not done yet!
Oh, what to do with the Gospel, Luke 12:49-56!? Jesus is lighting a fire on the earth, bringing division to people even in the same household! He’s not talking about Us & Them, he’s talking about Us & Us! “We have met the enemy, and he is us”, says Pogo. Don’t you see what’s happening in the “Present Time”, you hypocrites?? Not a lot of Grace here…’cept for the greater context of preparation for the Kingdom. Hard verses.
I guess that being part of the Kingdom of God involves getting chewed out, from time to time, since none of us can achieve God’s great expectations without Christ’s intervention. Maybe I’ll be a better person for having my feet held to the fire. At least, that’s what my parents said.
God Bless Us, Every One H B King
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