Mark 2:23-28
I work with a woman who is a devout Jew. We often sit and have lunch together. One thing that I cannot help notice though is the fact that at work (at least) she can be found munching on such delicacies as shrimp salad or bacon. Not exactly Kosher. The other day we were talking about the Book of Mormon and she was reluctant t go see it because she thought Mormons were not nice people and as far as she could tell they did not follow any precepts that indicated how good they were. Her old 'Mormon' neighbors it seems did not practice their faith. They didn't practice what they preached. He opinion of Mormons was quite low.
I recall a time I was visiting Washington DC and in looking for a vacant parking spot I backed into a handicapped slot only to be quickly reminded by someone that I wasn't handicapped. I suppose there is someone out there that thinks all New Yorkers are mindless dolts with no respect for the handicapped parking slots. When I realized what I had done I was embarrassed and quickly moved. If I was typical New Yorker of course I would have waved with one finger and would have told someone to mind their own business (expletive deleted). That would be another judgement though wouldn't it?
We seem very free to make judgements about other people. We might feel free to rationalize our own behaviour but we feel almost self righteous about making judgements of others. Think about some of the nonsensical rules we feel free to ignore from exceeding the 55mph speed limit to how eating meat on Fridays is now not a mortal sin. We instinctively know when some things really don't make sense and people (including ourselves) feel free to judge us individually (and en masse) for whatever rule or law we seem to be disregarding.
When you think of some of those rules it is sadly comical. That eating meat on Fridays is one, the arbitrary speed limits on some roads, how about that all blacks love watermelon and fried chicken? Are gay people perverts? Are Jews cheap? Do Catholics believe Mary should be part of the Trinity? There is no end to the list of judgements and stereotypes we hold.
Perhaps today would be a good time to take a look at all of these anew. What do we do and what do others do that we so easily judge them by? Most of all, let's decide not to judge anyone and let's make a sincere effort to focus on how people love. No matter what faith, nationality, race or sexual orientation, the individual should be accepted and loved for who they are. There should be no judgements. God will judge us based on our humanity and our love.
One sabbath he was going through the cornfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’ And he said to them, ‘Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.’ Then he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.’
No comments:
Post a Comment