Genesis 33:1-12
I wonder at this story. Would you run to meet the brother who stole your inheritance? Would you welcome them with open arms? How much humility had Esau gained in the years of his brothers absence? He was ready to kill him for his treachery, this is why Rachel had sent Jacob away. It's why he puts a whole buffer of family between his brother and himself. Yet here comes Esau running, with arms open wide.
Now humility means a bit more than being totally self sacrificing. Much change had happened in the years between Esau and Jacob' s reunion. Both brothers had grown in the ways of this world and lost things in order to realize we are not in control.
Let go and let God is a slogan used in Al-Anon and it is one of the hardest things we do in life. The political landscape has led us to believe we are in control and we can control outcomes by strength. Humility asks us to find our sisters and brothers standing beside us. Each of us has reasons for being on an opposite side. We must not think our way is the only right way. When we do so by cutting relationships off we believe we know. The only one who knows is God.
As Jesus humbles himself today and washes the feet of the disciples he knows one will betray him and one will deny him. He has surrendered to what God's plan is. He has done this so they remember they are still loved. Even when they hide for their own protection. They will remember this act. This thing done for the good of the whole.
God asks us and Jesus shows us we are to see one another. It is only in the depths of our own vulnerability where we see one another. Hear one another's fears, dreams, hopes for the future, despair of what we are doing, and can have the empathy to risk. Being humble asks us to risk.
So as we head into these midterm elections may we remember this example. What we do to one another we do to ourselves. We must keep the scope of love so much wider. Just like Esau's open arms for his brother. We are not threatened in God's kingdom, only loved as we each are. Let us humble ourselves to realize we have a greater capacity then holding to right and wrong. We can see God in one another and know we are beloved and connected to each other.
There is so much more than the simple side.
Right, wrong don't exist. Only hope or fear.
Raw human emotion which forgets.
We forget we were made from the same dust.
Crafted from the hands of one Creator.
Meant to see our relatedness instead of difference.
i cannot be without You. We are one in the same.
Amen
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