Good morning, friends.
Our verse for today comes from Matthew 15:2, “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”
Although there is nothing funny about the coronavirus, it is somewhat humorous to see postings online and signs on walls offering instructions on how to wash your hands. The oddity of that national health strategy reminded me of some anecdotes I heard about these intentionally humorous yet pointed juxtapositions. What they entailed were people living in third world conditions complaining about the problems and aggravations that are so common to the most prosperous of societies. I don’t quite recall the stories verbatim, but one example did involve an extremely underweight man who lives in a mud hut griping to the interviewer about the hassles of losing his cell phone signal. Or another impoverished, half-starved individual might be complaining about running out of his favorite flavored coffee creamer or the painful sensation of mixing ice cold water with minty chewing gum. You could see how these might strike a chord with some Americans. Nothing like an emaciated man wearing nothing but a piece of animal skin around his waist to highlight the trivial “crises” that can alter the mood or rustle the feathers of us who have so much.
Those third-world characters who were acting out our first-world pamperings must have snickered much like I imagine Jesus did when the educated and prosperous scribes and Pharisees confronted Him about hand washing traditions. Could someone really complain about not being able to call or text for a minute or two of their lives when their homes (which were made of wood and brick rather than straw and mud) were filled with clothes and food and furniture? Could a different flavor of coffee really compare to someone who drinks, bathes, and washes their clothes and dishes in the same water? So how could dirty fingers stand out when the scribes and Pharisees were slapping God in the face with their pristine hands? I know I’ve elevated things above what’s truly important. I’ve lost my cool at home over silly nothingness. I’ve sought clean hands with an unclean heart. It’s a pointed juxtaposition, but it’s not very humorous. I imagine you’re not laughing much, either.
As we seek Him today, let your focus go way beyond the mess or the spills or the inconvenience to the One who redeems and gives meaning to the mess that we are.
Have an exceptional Wednesday.
#4 Rich Holt
Dad of Ripken, Koy, TrishaJean, Samantha, Kakie Holiday and Raleigh
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
