Devotion for Thursday, April 2

Lessons from the Daily Lectionary – Thursday, April 2, 2009

Psalm 94; Jeremiah 26:1-16; Romans 11:1-12; John 10:19-42

Meditation: Every once and a while, I have had the courage to step into some breech. Witnessing someone being excluded or treated poorly because of some prejudice or stereotype, my conscience has told me that I need to speak up. So I’ve asked waiters in Denny’s restaurants if there was some reason why they were treating an African American family poorly. I’ve spoken up on behalf of Bonnie in a situation where the pitch of her voice seemed to give license to a bureaucrat to dismiss her concerns. I’ve been with youth who were insulted at restaurants because they weren’t the kind of tipping customers who seemed to require or justify the management’s respect.

Child psychologist, Robert Coles, spent a lot of time observing the interpersonal dynamics which accompanied school integration in the 1960s. One of his very special stories is about Ruby Bridges who was a little second grader who integrated a school in New Orleans. He wonderfully told of how she would walk a gauntlet of foul-mouthed adults into her school building. She was escorted by armed Federal agents. Upon reaching the doorway of the school, she would turn and mouth some words. Coles asked her what she was saying. She told him that she was praying for the gathered folks there, as her church had taught her to do as a follower of Jesus.

In addition to this smaller story, Coles told the bigger picture of things. He wrote about how much easier integration went in Atlanta compared to New Orleans. The major reason was the courage displayed by the editors of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, who spoken out in favor of the justice of integration. Their words diffused the situation in Atlanta and set in motion an appropriate change.

The prophet Jeremiah is the voice of one speaking for justice in our reading today. His words get him into deep trouble with the priests and prophets of Jerusalem who wish to put him to death for his corrective words in their city. He doesn’t turn from his words, even though he is willing to become a martyr for speaking them.

Jeremiah is in many ways a forerunner of Jesus. For the sake of what is required by God’s commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Jeremiah was willing to offer up his life. He dared to speak against the crowd.

It’s helpful to read about Jeremiah so that we better understand Jesus. Jesus isn’t seeking a martyr’s death when we read a similar story about him. His purpose is to speak to what is true about the gift of God’s love offered to the world. He has the courage to speak. He is willing to value that love above the opposition he engenders.

As we prepare for Holy Week and its message of Jesus’ Passion, cross and resurrection, let us reflect on when being Jesus’ followers may also ask us to speak with our own courage.

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, help us to match the goodness which you exhibited in doing deeds such as welcoming children, touching those who were shunned by society, eating meals with unclean “sinners,” embracing those condemned as unworthy of the love of God, as your way of telling the good news of how great is God’s love. Give us courage to speak gently your truth in our daily lives as a way of continuing that witness in our day and place. Amen.