Living in the Spirit
May 22, 2018
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 6:1-8
The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’
Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: ‘Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.’ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’ –Isaiah 6:4-8
Unclean lip—there is a lot of that going around these days. I do not like living in a time when all language seems targeted at what the writer/speaker wants us to believe to strengthen the author’s views. We are used to the 30 second or 60 second sound bite that tightly controls content and never tells the whole story. It is very hard to write without introducing one’s own viewpoints but technical writing demands that. Clearly delineated opinion pieces allow for personal interpretations.
Having worked in public welfare for many years, I have no idea how many times I have had someone get in my face assuring me that hoards of undocumented aliens are receiving public assistance. When I tell them, there is a law against that I am assured I do not know what I am talking about. Even if I show them the law, they assure me it is not being enforced. It frightens me to hear candidates running for office with a platform of ending all the welfare going to “illegal Immigrants” because those candidates are so naïve about our system of laws or don’t care if it gets them elected*.
How is a prophet to be heard amidst the cacophony of people paid to shape our perceptions of reality? Isaiah faced that challenge as he worked to save Israel from its path of destruction. Followers of Christ called to share the good news of God’s through not only their words but their lives must trust God t touch our lives in such a way that we are compelled to speak God’s truth and more importantly lie God’s truth.
Prayer: Lord, touch not just my lips but my keyboard and my way of being so that they accurately reflect your way, your truth, and your life. Amen.
*For more information seehttp://econofact.org/do-undocumented-immigrants-overuse-government-benefits