Monday's Devotion from Epiphany
Luke 7. 44Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. (NRSV)
Jesus is speaking to his host, Simon, an overly pious man. He is speaking to a religious leader of his time, a time in which women were treated as second class citizens, at best.
“Do you see women? Do you see them not as objects to abuse but as human beings to honor and cherish? ? Do you see how you have hurt them? Do you see how you have terrified them, punished them, oppressed them, starved them, raped them, and killed them? Do you see the presence of God in women?”
Jesus is speaking to us because times have not changed all. I doubt we would be anymore comfortable than Simon. Both in church and society, women are all too often treated as second class citizens, at best.
In my life, the most significant woman (my most significant partner) I have known was sexually abused as a child from the time she was nine until she was old enough to escape the house. Yet this woman has been able to show me a God who I never could have imagined without her help. As rocky as our relationship has been (people who have been abused have a great deal of trouble with the issue of trust), I still cherish her and all that she has taught me. Yes, Jesus, I see her.
You created us equal in your sight but we have failed to live out that equality. Forgive us our sins, increase our faith that we might truly go in peace. Amen
Jesus is speaking to his host, Simon, an overly pious man. He is speaking to a religious leader of his time, a time in which women were treated as second class citizens, at best.
“Do you see women? Do you see them not as objects to abuse but as human beings to honor and cherish? ? Do you see how you have hurt them? Do you see how you have terrified them, punished them, oppressed them, starved them, raped them, and killed them? Do you see the presence of God in women?”
Jesus is speaking to us because times have not changed all. I doubt we would be anymore comfortable than Simon. Both in church and society, women are all too often treated as second class citizens, at best.
In my life, the most significant woman (my most significant partner) I have known was sexually abused as a child from the time she was nine until she was old enough to escape the house. Yet this woman has been able to show me a God who I never could have imagined without her help. As rocky as our relationship has been (people who have been abused have a great deal of trouble with the issue of trust), I still cherish her and all that she has taught me. Yes, Jesus, I see her.
You created us equal in your sight but we have failed to live out that equality. Forgive us our sins, increase our faith that we might truly go in peace. Amen
posted by John | 10:43 PM
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