Devotions for November 18, 2020
Prayer
Jesus, my deliverer and my peace, you are the glory of joy in
the morning and rest of ending evenings. I turn all that today was, is, or is
ever going to be over to you. I ask for you to hold my hand and turn my mind’s
eye again and again to you. Let me see your path and keep my feet walking on
it. Be with all your little ones that are lost. Heal and help all those who are
sick or giving care to them. Let the leadership represent your reign of
servanthood. Calm our fears with a deepening sense of your abiding. In your
mighty Name, I pray. Amen.
Matthew 24:45-51
“Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has
put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of
food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at
work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all
his possessions. But if that wicked slave says to himself, ‘My master is
delayed,’ and he begins to beat his fellow slaves, and eats and drinks with
drunkards, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect
him and at an hour that he does not know. He will cut him in pieces and put him
with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Reflection
This text is full of extremes and ugliness. The hyperbole is
meant to jar into action. The truth is meant to cut to the heart. Let us be
clear that the hatred is directed towards sin and wickedness. The context of
slavery was one that the people could understand in terms of owing their everything
to God, but the actuality of slavery is a human invention. To exploit another
and abuse them in anyway is the startling counterpoint. The purpose of this
text is to confront the abuse of power. I am deeply sad to think of all the misquotes
of a verse from this text. Jesus died a violent death as a direct and yet
nonviolent confrontation with all corruptions of power and misunderstandings of
God, absorbing all the sin and death the world threw at his brown skin. He died
as a poor criminal, naked and alone. His passion and death is the interpretive question
for this text and all texts. “What will you do with my life’s work? What are
you doing with yours?”
Jesus’ teaching reads very heavy for a people who are trying
to find creative ways to deal with the imposed idleness and separation of a
pandemic. I am thinking of the man who built a roller coaster in his backyard.
Though, I am also thinking of the unemployed with great uncertainty about their
next meal. To be faithful and wise means to care for one another during
difficult times loaded with impatience. Reach out and help one another, however
you can do it creatively and safely! We don’t just pass the time, we fill it
with prayer, praise and service. Let us use this time to renew our faith life
in our homes. Let us establish daily routines of spiritual disciplines. Let us
advocate for those who need help and assistance in this time.
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