Listen Lord: We Hate it Here - Day Twenty Three
Praying Transformation for the Enemies of God’s Children
While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely. As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” from Luke 20, 21
While Jesus was in Jerusalem, he taught in the temple every day. And every day the teachers of Jewish law tried to trap him. They planted spies to ask trick questions and start arguments. Jesus was determined, and his purpose was sure: to show that good news for the poor is the true gospel that saves everyone, to show that God has blessed the gifts of the oppressed. Jesus gives honor to a poor widow just after he tells his disciples that the most severe punishment is upon people who would exploit her neighbors and devour her house.
He was so intentional that he focused in on the widow’s example of faith, while giving only a brief aside concerning the constant badgering from the household disappointments. He didn’t even address the Pharisees directly in this exchange. His haters were blocked from being a distraction, and yet included in the number of created beings that God so loves. I believe that the warning of punishment is accountability, which is love. It is a confrontation that can become an invitation to change.
Oh to be more like Jesus in these wearisome days. This morning I admit that I am more likely to tend to distractions than honor the faith at work in my neighbors. And distractions these days are not always enjoyable. I am distracted by dumbness in response to a serious public health crisis. I am tempted to turn aside from my purpose to point out disorder and incompetence. I am in need of Christ’s temple teachings. I need to be expert in side eye sidenotes, focused on faith examples from the people that God favors. Just like the Pharisees, I can be so obsessed with telling off my enemies that I miss the wisdom of people who are resilient in resistance to them.
Today I am praying for people who disregard the poor. These are enemies of God’s children. Since this is often the default position of privileged people, I realize I am praying transformation for most of us.
Let’s ready ourselves with reflections from scripture: I encourage you to read these words out loud if you can.
For compassion with the Working poor, reflect with the wise king in Ecclesiastes:
“If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.” Ecclesiastes 5
For conviction concerning the enemies of God’s children, reflect with Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5
Let’s pray together.
Lord we are coming to you this morning, knees bowed and bodies bent, in the weariness of our waiting, we are distracted by challenges we need not answer. We are burdened by emptiness, we are always hungry and never full. And we are ignorant this morning. We are faithless in the face of the widow’s mite. Help us to praise the faith of the people you focus on. Cleanse us from pharisaical obsession. And rescue your children from the resource ravaging, life threatening fixations that possess many leaders still today.
Listen, Lord, your children are impoverished and exploited, we are tortured by greed, and we hate it here. Will you send the Holy Spirit to teach and transform all of the people who live as our enemies? Will you save your children and wig-snatch our captors? We are calling on your saving grace this morning, Lord. We need you.
Lord, transform every person who supports the police assault of unhoused people. Send an angel of protection to the tent cities around the country.
More than that, let every police officer wake up right now, whether on the job or in their beds. Let their eyes be opened to the ways they are serving injustice and protecting prejudice, and let them repent. Jesus, would you turn the hearts of jailers and judges, public defenders, probation officers, attorneys and clerks. And O God, send a word to the directors of corrections facilities. Let them experience a liberation that leads them to let your people go.
Lord, transform landlords who exploit and threaten your children. They are enemies to our well being and they are in need of your wisdom and grace. Send a mighty word of jubilee and cause them to extend leases, make repairs, forgo monthly collection. Cause them to be good stewards and save them from the iniquity of living like slumlords.
Lord, touch and transform the hearts and minds of every employer in this nation. Every manager and program director who employs the working poor - we are asking you to check them today, Lord, this very hour. Release their grip on the bottom line, or better yet change their idea of success to more faithfully reflect yours. Help them Lord, to find the tips, overtime pay, holidays and sick days they had taken away from their employees, let these be returned. Grant them the Holy Spirit’s comfort in their own anxieties about finances. Gift them the Holy Spirit’s conviction to stop their plot to line their own pockets before they provide living wages.
O God transform the tokenizers. Those humans whose only relevance is drawn from appropriation and savior complex. Make it heavily apparent that they need a way out of this addiction to affliction. Rescue the people whose stories are exploited, and turn the tables so that the tokenizers become the ones who must testify of your compassion and your salvation.
Lord we need you to send a mighty rushing wind to deep clean the minds and material obsessions of every farmworker overseer, every household that pays per week for cleaning, childcare, gardening and more. Loose their money stores. Make them people of their word, make them people who give and fulfill guarantees. Lead them into deep empathy for the children of God that they often disrespect. Bring your children bonuses, O God, and save us from banking fees and the strains associated with living paycheck to paycheck.
We need your power, Lord.
We need your provision, if you please. Will you provide for us? Will you feed us and settle us into a home? We are in tent cities being destroyed. We are in stockrooms in grocery stores and gas stations. We are breaking our bodies to survive this plague. We are living in the longest hours. We are climbing ladders and bent over farmlands. We are not sure when the students in our care will be able to access the internet. We do not know if we are infected, so above all we desire protection because we are sore afraid. We are surrounded by fiery serpents and you have promised us daily bread.
Listen Lord, we pray in faith for your power over the people who overpower us. You’ve told us that it is not your will for anyone to perish, but Lord how these times and your enemies mock your wisdom. We hate the numbers of your children who perish from poverty. We hate the corruption that contradicts the community.
Lord there must be an end to all of this evil under the sun, there must be a time of feasting after these days of mourning. But as long as these days rage on, we will lament and plead your grace. We would have you to have your way O God, to tarry no longer and come down to us, Lord. Come put death to death, come end the reign of capitalism. Come and make our hardships cease. Emmanuel, Hosanna, Amen.
Song: Scared of the Dark, Li’l Wayne // Blessing in the Storm, Kirk Franklin
Experiences: NPR running List of Live Performances https://www.npr.org/2020/03/17/816504058/a-list-of-live-virtual-concerts-to-watch-during-the-coronavirus-shutdown
Dance Theatre of Harlem https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY5gb-8rQWU6jGJIfe60DJg
Resources: St. Louis COVID Hub - https://www.stlcovidhub.org/
North Carolina COVID Covenant of Resistance https://drummajorsalliance.com/