Your Neighbor And Yourself
Earlier this week I was the odd man out, literally. Four women in my office in Salem were talking and I was clearly on the fringes of the conversation. One of them was pregnant and the others were members in good standing of the Pregnancy Alumna Club. They were speculating about the unborn child. All three alumna were sure it was a girl child behind the bump that was "so pointy" and being carried, "just like I carried my girl," and etc. The mother-to-be had avoided a technological determination and wasn't so sure. She was holding out for a little mystery in the face of the certainty of her friends and co-workers. Friends, and family members-likely mostly of the female variety-have been having conversations like this one since there were friends and family to converse.
Somewhere around 2010 years ago, depending on whose dating of events you follow, friends, family members and neighbors--and likely not just the women--were surely having a version of this discussion. Some things like those above may have been said in Mary's presence. Some less kind things may have also been said right to her face. Questions about the identity of the baby's father may have been asked by relatives and friends of Joseph who thought he was a soft touch, a too-easy mark, for the girl who, obviously, hadn't kept herself pure in spite of her betrothal. Some of her own family members probably let her know how disappointed they were in her and how lucky she was that Joseph "was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace" (Matthew 1:19); how fortunate she was that he planned to follow through with his commitment in spite of her swelling belly. Lots of things may have been whispered about both of them and their unborn child behind their backs. Knowing human nature from the inside out, few of us would argue that this kind of talk stopped even years after Jesus' birth.
Interesting that Matthew's gospel, often thought to be the one most oriented to the Jews, would treat this in some detail. Mark and John don't even mention it. Luke touches on it more lightly. Like the Jews, we are often very concerned about who we are and our own reputations. As a result we can have a tendency to tear down others and their reputations. Even those in our own community. Even those in our own family. Even those in our own church family. Though it may not be the main point of the birth story in Matthew, clearly God wanted the Jews and us to know that he favors--even loves--and uses, not just ordinary people, but even people we might despise.
The "bad" news? We may have some repenting to do of destructive thoughts, words, and attitudes we've directed towards others.
The good news, and the Good News? God clearly wants us to know that he favors-even loves-and uses, not just ordinary people, but even people we might despise. This applies even when one of the people we've directed destructive thoughts, words, and attitudes towards is ourself. It's not grammatically correct, but it's true just the same.
Love isn't easy, but it's what we're called to. When some of the pickiest people of his day asked him to tell them which commandment was the greatest, what did Jesus say? Matthew tells us:
"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Matthew 22:37-40
--Lee Lower
Somewhere around 2010 years ago, depending on whose dating of events you follow, friends, family members and neighbors--and likely not just the women--were surely having a version of this discussion. Some things like those above may have been said in Mary's presence. Some less kind things may have also been said right to her face. Questions about the identity of the baby's father may have been asked by relatives and friends of Joseph who thought he was a soft touch, a too-easy mark, for the girl who, obviously, hadn't kept herself pure in spite of her betrothal. Some of her own family members probably let her know how disappointed they were in her and how lucky she was that Joseph "was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace" (Matthew 1:19); how fortunate she was that he planned to follow through with his commitment in spite of her swelling belly. Lots of things may have been whispered about both of them and their unborn child behind their backs. Knowing human nature from the inside out, few of us would argue that this kind of talk stopped even years after Jesus' birth.
Interesting that Matthew's gospel, often thought to be the one most oriented to the Jews, would treat this in some detail. Mark and John don't even mention it. Luke touches on it more lightly. Like the Jews, we are often very concerned about who we are and our own reputations. As a result we can have a tendency to tear down others and their reputations. Even those in our own community. Even those in our own family. Even those in our own church family. Though it may not be the main point of the birth story in Matthew, clearly God wanted the Jews and us to know that he favors--even loves--and uses, not just ordinary people, but even people we might despise.
The "bad" news? We may have some repenting to do of destructive thoughts, words, and attitudes we've directed towards others.
The good news, and the Good News? God clearly wants us to know that he favors-even loves-and uses, not just ordinary people, but even people we might despise. This applies even when one of the people we've directed destructive thoughts, words, and attitudes towards is ourself. It's not grammatically correct, but it's true just the same.
Love isn't easy, but it's what we're called to. When some of the pickiest people of his day asked him to tell them which commandment was the greatest, what did Jesus say? Matthew tells us:
"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Matthew 22:37-40
--Lee Lower
posted by L-Po @ 7:11 AM
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