Wednesday's devotion from Epiphany

Luke 10. 23Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
(NRSV)

Our “big C” church has been arguing, along with many other “big C” churches, about homosexuality. It has been, all too often, very ugly. I have often opined that it will take the dying out of one more generation before we make any progress. Sadly.

I have always had hope. I have had hope because I have watched younger generations look at this in entirely different ways. They view others with fewer barriers than have their parents and grandparents. They also, I think, understand Jesus as someone to whom they should listen and not need to protect. They take him at his word and take it to heart.

It has been more of a struggle for the rest of us. We fiercely protect the Church, the Scriptures, even God, as though we have no choice. There are many things God won’t do without our help but this is not one of them.

Jesus is speaking to us as well as to those who follow us. We must remove the blinders which lead us to fail to see those around us as brothers and sisters and not as “different.” We must stop seeing what separates us and start seeing what unites us. There have been times when we have done this, we just aren’t very consistent.

We neither listen or see very well at times, Jesus. Open our eyes, open our ears, so that we may see and hear you in the guise of those we meet. Amen