Epiphany
February 9, 2016

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 26:1-11

When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us, we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.’ You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house. –Deuteronomy 26:6-11

The Israelites stopped to take time to thank God for the right to work for the fruits of their own labor. Big difference from slavery where their labors were for the Pharaohs of Egypt to fill their granaries and to build their wealth. The Israelites were not seeking a hedonistic life of leisure or a prosperity gospel. They were willing to work, wanted to work, were apparently very good at work. They simply wanted their work to be compensated with the means to meet their basic needs and the needs of their families.

We have millions of people across this great nation with those same ambitions. The overwhelming majority of SNAP (food stamp) recipients who can work do so. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “Among SNAP households with at least one working-age, non-disabled adult, more than half work while receiving SNAP—and more than 80 percent work in the year prior to or the year after receiving SNAP. The rates are even higher for families with children—more than 60 percent work while receiving SNAP, and almost 90 percent work in the prior or subsequent year.”

 What’s more, many SNAP participants aren’t physically able to work. About 20 percent of SNAP participants are elderly or have a disability, according to the USDA.* Over 45 million persons included in over 22 million households received SNAP in November 2015.**

Receiving a living wage for services rendered would go a long way toward freeing these citizens from dependency, one might call it slavery, on government subsidies or support from non-profit charities. It would also free them from the wagging tongues that castigate them for that dependency.

Prayer: Lord, grant that we all might celebrate equally your love with offerings of the first fruits of our labor. Amen.

* http://www.hungercoalition.org/food-stamp-myths

** http://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.