Luke 11:37 - 12:12

As children, we often sang a hymn with the words "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild". Today's reading, especially 12:37-54, shows Jesus in his non-'meek and mild' mode. In fact, the floodgates of Jesus' emotions must have busted wide open, and he let go with both barrels.

Look what He called the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law, who were the gate keepers, so they thought, of everything God-like:

- You Pharisees clean the outside of your cup and plate, but inside you are full of violence and evil.

- You give one tenth of seasoning herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God.

- You are like unmarked graves which people walk on without knowing it.

- You put heavy burdens on people's backs, and never lift a finger to help them.

- You have the keys to open the gates, but because you do not want to go in, you stop others from going in as well.

And there's more if you want to read further.

This seems so 'unJesus'-like.

Yet it is encouraging to read, because it shows the human side of Jesus. We say that Jesus was/is fully God and fully human, and mostly we see the God-side of Jesus, so it is refreshing to witness the actions of the 'human Jesus'. The cleansing of the Temple, when Jesus drove out the money-changers and merchants, was another example where Jesus let loose with every human cannon available to Him. "My house," he shouted above the hysterical screaming and cursing of the general public running from the Temple, "is a house of prayer", not "a den of thieves".

Because Jesus can let His human side be exposed, maybe we should not be shocked and surprised when our humanity takes control of our life wheel and steers us erratically in all directions. Remember, we are still worth more than many sparrows, according to Jesus.

Question: How do you compare with the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law?

Tomorrow's reading: Luke 12:13-59

(Today's post submitted by Rev. Hollis Hiscock.)